The Minority in Parliament has submitted a fresh motion calling for the formation of an ad hoc committee to investigate the reported GH¢1.7 billion loss at the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod).

The move follows renewed calls by the Minority for greater accountability over the reported financial loss. The Caucus has rejected arguments that the matter should be handled exclusively by Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.

Speaking after a meeting of the Minority Caucus, Old Tafo MP and member of Parliament’s Economy Committee, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, confirmed that the motion had been presented to the Speaker for consideration.

According to him, the Minority considers an ad hoc committee the most suitable mechanism for establishing the facts surrounding the reported loss and determining how it occurred.

Mr Assafuah also dismissed claims that Parliament must rely on the Public Accounts Committee to undertake the investigation.

He referred to Article 103 of the 1992 Constitution and several provisions of Parliament’s Standing Orders, including Orders 204, 212, 213, 262 and 263, as the legal basis for Parliament to constitute committees to investigate issues involving ministries, departments and agencies.

He explained that the cited provisions also empower an ad hoc committee to invite and question individuals whose evidence may assist in its work.

Meanwhile, the Minority has challenged GoldBod Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, to provide evidence to support allegations that Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin engaged in extortion.

The Caucus accused Mr Gyamfi of attempting to shift public attention away from questions surrounding the reported GoldBod losses and insisted that the allegations against the Minority Leader must be substantiated.

“It is an ad hoc motion, an ad hoc committee that is going to help the Minority to be able to unravel the circumstances to which this loss came by. And so that is our strategy. We will not bend the rules or we will not bend our strategy for anybody's convenience,” he said.

“Nobody teaches the Minority as to how we should go about its work. The tools that are available to Parliament are well placed within our hands to use any of the tools that we so deem fit to use,” he said.

“It is our contention that the motion that Parliament, that is the Minority, has sent to the Speaker of Parliament for the Speaker of Parliament to consider within this week is something that is much more important,” Mr Assafuah said.