The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has cautioned the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, against taking criticism of the institution personally.
He urged Mr Gyamfi to listen to concerns about the activities of GoldBod and refrain from allegedly using supporters and media personalities to attack individuals who raised questions about the institution’s operations.
Mr Afenyo-Markin made the remarks on Metro TV on Monday, August 10, 2026, while commenting on recent exchanges between GoldBod and some critics of its operations.
He said some of the people currently supporting Mr Gyamfi and defending him against his critics might not remain with him when circumstances changed.
“Some of the people you think are your friends today may not be there for you tomorrow,” he cautioned.
According to the Minority Leader, the concerns being raised were not targeted at Mr Gyamfi personally but were intended to draw attention to what he described as excesses and possible wrongdoing at GoldBod.
He urged the GoldBod CEO to respond to criticisms with facts rather than personal attacks.
Mr Afenyo-Markin reminded Mr Gyamfi of his role as a leading critic of the previous government while in opposition.
He said Mr Gyamfi was vocal in raising concerns about government policies and actions at the time and should, therefore, demonstrate the same level of tolerance towards criticism now that he was in government.
He further noted that some of the concerns being raised about GoldBod had also been highlighted by credible institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
“We are not after your person. We are after the excesses in the activities at your institution,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin also criticised what he described as personal attacks on individuals who raised concerns about GoldBod, mentioning former Finance Minister Mohammed Amin Adam and broadcaster Kojo Oppong Nkrumah among those he said had faced attacks.
He appealed to the Government and its supporters to accept criticism, listen to concerns and make the necessary adjustments.
He said doing so would help prevent current challenges from becoming problems for those responsible in the future.
