The Central Regional Executives and supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have condemned alleged attacks on Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Member of Parliament for Effutu Constituency who doubles as the Minority Leader in Parliament.
The demand follows the Minority Leader’s exercise of his parliamentary oversight duty concerning alleged financial losses at the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) raised in an IMF report.
According to the party, Mr. Sammy Gyamfi, the Chief Executive Officer of GoldBod, has no right to use unprovoked words to attack the Minority Leader, who was only performing his constitutional duty.
The party is therefore urging the CEO of GoldBod to stop the attacks and rather explain to Ghanaians why GoldBod is alleged to have recorded such heavy losses as captured in the IMF report.
The aggrieved party members stated that the sums of money involved could have been used to address pressing national needs, including abandoned projects.
The demands were made during a press conference held at the regional party head office in Cape Coast.
The aggrieved supporters, including regional executives, sang party anthems and war songs, with red cloths tied on their hands and necks to show solidarity with the Minority Leader who hails from the Central Region.
Addressing the press conference, the Central Regional Secretary for the party, Mr. Richard Takyi Mensah, said the party is not happy and insisted that the Minority Leader was performing his parliamentary oversight duty, which is unquestionable.
He said demanding answers from the GoldBod CEO is not a crime that should warrant any attack.
He added: “today, one of our own stands at the centre of individual attacks, not because he has assaulted anyone or stolen state property, but because he dared to ask questions about the alleged losses at GoldBod.”
Mr. Takyi Mensah further indicated that the NPP in the Central Region and at the national level fully backs the Minority Caucus in Parliament to speak on behalf of Ghanaians for answers over the disputed losses linked to gold trading operations, and called on all Ghanaians to join in demanding accountability because it involves taxpayers’ money.
By Timothy Gaison
