<h1><br></h1><p>The Effutu Member of Parliament made his position known in a statement on Saturday, August 22, 2026, following an escalating public dispute between the two over the operations of GoldBod and the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme (DGPP).</p><p>The controversy intensified after Mr Gyamfi described Mr Afenyo-Markin as an “extortionist” and challenged him to take legal action if he considered the statement defamatory.</p><p>Speaking on Joy News on Saturday, Mr Gyamfi maintained that he was prepared to defend the allegation in court and said the description was based on circumstances surrounding his exchanges with the Minority Leader.</p><p>In response, Mr Afenyo-Markin said he would use the appropriate legal channels to seek redress over what he considers defamatory statements made against him. He rejected any suggestion that his scrutiny of GoldBod and the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme was motivated by improper considerations.</p><p>“As Minority Leader in Parliament, my responsibility is to help Parliament discharge its constitutional oversight function. My actions have been guided solely by that responsibility,” he said. Mr Afenyo-Markin said he had neither acted from an improper motive nor conducted himself inappropriately in carrying out his parliamentary duties. He further argued that personal attacks against public officials sometimes arise when those being scrutinised are uncomfortable with questions about their decisions and the use of public resources.</p><p>According to him, such attacks should not distract Parliament from examining the substantive issues surrounding the gold purchase programme. The disagreement between the two officials follows claims concerning losses associated with the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme in 2025. Mr Afenyo-Markin has cited an International Monetary Fund report in questioning reported losses of about US$1.7 billion, equivalent to approximately GH¢22 billion, and has called for accountability over the transactions.</p><p>Mr Gyamfi, however, has rejected the Minority Leader’s characterisation of the programme and accused him of pursuing what he described as a smear campaign against GoldBod. The GoldBod CEO has also challenged Mr Afenyo-Markin to substantiate his concerns through the appropriate channels and has expressed readiness to defend his statements in court.</p><p>Despite the increasingly personal nature of the exchange, Mr Afenyo-Markin has insisted that his focus remains on the gold programme, the decisions taken and the public funds involved. “My attention, and that of the Caucus I lead, remains firmly focused on the programme, the decisions taken and the public funds involved,” he said. The latest development could therefore shift the dispute from the political and media arena to the courts, should Mr Afenyo-Markin proceed with the threatened legal action.</p><p><br></p>