Afenyo-Markin may struggle to wriggle out of GoldBod loss claims – Edem Senanu

Anti-corruption advocate Edem Senanu doubts Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin will have an easy time defending his recent assertion that the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) suffered losses under the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme. Following a review of the 182-page International Monetary Fund (IMF) report cited in the debate, Mr Senanu found no evidence to back up the Minority Leader's claim.

"I took a look at the 182-page IMF report, and Joy, you had done a good job of fact-checking. There were 47 mentions of the GoldBod, not once mentioned that there was a loss," he told JoyNews' The Pulse on Monday, August 24. Mr Senanu questioned why Afenyo-Markin made the allegation, noting that the Bank of Ghana, which owns GoldBod, incurred a loss in that area.

He also raised concerns about the thoroughness of the checks conducted before the claim was made, suggesting Mr Afenyo-Markin might now face the challenge of managing the fallout from the statement. The political debate over GoldBod's financial performance and the IMF's assessment of Ghana's economic program is intensifying. Mr Senanu observed that Afenyo-Markin has appeared more measured in recent public appearances, attributing the composure to the need to navigate the controversy.

"It's good that he's sober, because if you look at the data, it doesn't support what he said," he remarked.