Minority Leader in Parliament Alexander Afenyo-Markin has announced plans to take legal action over comments made against him by GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi.
The Effutu Member of Parliament said he considers the statements, particularly the description of him as an “extortionist,” defamatory and intends to seek the appropriate legal remedies.
The development follows a public disagreement between the two over the Minority’s scrutiny of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) and the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
Sammy Gyamfi had challenged Afenyo-Markin to take the matter to court if he believed the allegation was defamatory. He also indicated that he was prepared to defend his comments before a court.
Responding in a Facebook post on Saturday, August 22, Afenyo-Markin confirmed that he would pursue the matter through the appropriate legal channels.
“On the defamatory statements made against me personally, I intend to pursue the appropriate legal remedies,” he stated.
The Minority Leader also rejected suggestions that his concerns about GoldBod were driven by personal or improper interests. He explained that his actions were part of Parliament’s constitutional responsibility to scrutinise public institutions and government programmes.
According to him, his focus has been on ensuring accountability and examining decisions involving public funds.
Afenyo-Markin further accused individuals who are uncomfortable with parliamentary scrutiny of resorting to personal attacks and allegations to divert public attention from important issues.
He maintained that such attacks would not discourage him from continuing his examination of GoldBod’s operations and the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
The MP said his attention, together with that of the Minority Caucus, remains focused on the programme, the decisions surrounding it and the management of public resources.
