Former National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) Chief Executive Officer, Kofi Ofosu Nkansah, has criticised GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi for describing Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin as an “extortionist”.
Mr Ofosu Nkansah, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said the comments were unwarranted and accused Mr Gyamfi of attacking the Minority Leader instead of addressing the concerns he had raised about the operations of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod).
The former NEIP boss’ response follows a press conference by Mr Afenyo-Markin on Tuesday, August 18, during which the Minority Leader raised concerns about GoldBod’s operations and alleged financial losses associated with its activities.
Mr Gyamfi subsequently dismissed the concerns, describing them as part of what he called a “desperate smear campaign” against GoldBod.
He further labelled Mr Afenyo-Markin and his associates as “devious extortionists and political mercenaries”, alleging that their criticisms were intended to damage GoldBod’s reputation and put pressure on its management.
However, Mr Ofosu Nkansah has rejected that characterisation, arguing that opposition lawmakers have a constitutional duty to scrutinise government institutions and demand accountability.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, August 20, he questioned why former NPP Minority Leaders were not described as extortionists when the party supported their efforts to scrutinise the then Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration.
“When NPP was supporting your then Minority leaders, no one called them extortionists. After they got the support, they still took on the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia Government,” he said.
Mr Ofosu Nkansah also accused Mr Gyamfi of focusing on personal attacks rather than providing answers to the concerns raised by the Minority Leader.
“And you people think Sammy Gyamfi is beyond criticism, so you must call our leader names for taking his agency on? You people are not serious,” he added.
He concluded by turning the “extortionist” accusation back on the GoldBod CEO.
“If you are looking for extortionists, look within your party,” he said.
