The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, has dared Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to bring him before Parliament to answer allegations that the institution suffered losses from its gold trading activities.

Mr Gyamfi says he is prepared to appear before Parliament and account for GoldBod’s operations, insisting that claims linking the institution to losses recorded under the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme are misleading.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, August 19, he questioned why the Minority Leader continues to address the issue at press conferences instead of using Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee to invite him.

He said he would readily appear before the committee if summoned and provide the necessary information to support GoldBod’s position.

Mr Gyamfi also dismissed suggestions that a formal parliamentary motion or prior approval from the Speaker would be required before he could be invited to answer questions on the matter.

According to him, the Public Accounts Committee has the mandate to call relevant officials to provide information on issues arising from public financial management.

He disclosed that he had already contacted the new Majority Leader, James Agalga, and asked him to facilitate his appearance before the committee should the Minority Leader fail to initiate the process.

The GoldBod CEO maintained that he has nothing to hide and is ready to defend the institution against allegations surrounding its financial performance.

Mr Gyamfi’s comments come after former Minister of State in charge of Finance, Abena Osei-Asare, called on President John Dramani Mahama to order a comprehensive investigation into reported losses associated with GoldBod’s operations.

The Atewa East MP, who chairs Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, has argued that the reported figures warrant closer examination to determine how the losses occurred and whether adequate safeguards were put in place to protect public funds.

The growing dispute has intensified calls for greater scrutiny of GoldBod’s financial operations, with both sides now pointing to Parliament as a potential forum for settling the competing claims.

“There’s been a call for a parliamentary probe, and I’ve already stated on public record that I’m waiting with bated breath for Afenyo-Markin’s invitation,” he said.

“I don’t know why he’s delaying and holding press conferences when, as Minority Leader, he can get the Public Accounts Committee to summon me tomorrow or today, and I will appear,” he added.

“I have in all humility reached out to the new Majority Leader in Parliament, Honourable James Agalga, and I pleaded with him that even if Afenyo-Markin delays in extending this invitation, he should extend the invitation to me and I’m ready to come tomorrow,” he said.

“You don’t need any special motion; you don’t need any special order by the Speaker. Just get the Public Accounts Committee to invite us and come and sit down there and come and demonstrate to the whole nation where the Gold Board made losses or how the Gold Board is to blame for losses made by another institution,” he said.

“We are waiting for that,” Mr Gyamfi said.