Sammy Gyamfi denies bodyguard gold theft claims, accuses Afenyo-Markin, Osei-Asare and Oppong Nkrumah of disinformation

Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, has rejected allegations linking his security personnel to gold trading and the alleged disappearance of GH¢200 million belonging to the state agency, describing the claims as “laughable” and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign against him and GoldBod.

Mr Gyamfi addressed the controversy during an X Spaces session on Sunday, August 9, 2026, following weeks of public debate over viral claims that a former member of his security detail had absconded with funds belonging to GoldBod.

The GoldBod CEO categorically denied the allegations, insisting that none of his bodyguards is involved in gold trading or has taken money belonging to the institution.

None of my bodyguards is involved in gold trading, and none of my bodyguards has stolen or taken Gold Board money,” he said.

Mr Gyamfi also rejected claims that businessman Dominic Bonsu, whose gold trading activities have come under scrutiny, was previously part of his security detail.

According to him, Mr Bonsu is a licensed Tier Two gold buyer and, to his understanding, an NPP constituency executive in the Manso area of the Ashanti Region.

He said he had no personal or professional relationship with the businessman and dismissed suggestions that Mr Bonsu could have served as his bodyguard.

Mr Gyamfi also questioned the physical description used to support the allegation, saying he found the suggestion that Mr Bonsu was his bodyguard particularly implausible.

He described the claim as “laughable” and maintained that the businessman had never been a member of his security team.

The GoldBod chief subsequently broadened his response, accusing political opponents of deliberately spreading misinformation aimed at damaging his reputation and undermining the credibility of GoldBod.

Mr Gyamfi claimed that some opposition politicians were targeting him because of political disagreements and accused them of attempting to portray him as responsible for problems within the gold sector.

He specifically named Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, Atiwa East MP Abena Osei-Asare and Ofoase Ayirebi MP Kojo Oppong Nkrumah as among those he described as leading what he termed a disinformation campaign.

He urged journalists and members of the public to independently verify claims made by the three MPs with GoldBod before accepting them as fact.

Mr Gyamfi further argued that some of the allegations had not resulted in legal action because they were made in Parliament and therefore protected by parliamentary privilege.

He warned that he would consider legal action if similar allegations were repeated outside Parliament.

The GoldBod CEO also rejected renewed calls by the Minority for the establishment of a special parliamentary committee to investigate the financial affairs and reported losses of GoldBod.

He argued that Parliament already has existing committees with the authority to summon the chief executive of a state institution to answer questions about its operations.

Mr Gyamfi cited the committees responsible for economic affairs, finance and lands as examples of parliamentary bodies that could invite him to provide explanations.

He said he was prepared to appear before any appropriate parliamentary committee if formally invited to answer questions about GoldBod's finances.

According to him, there was therefore no need to establish a special committee when existing parliamentary structures already possessed the necessary oversight powers.

He challenged MPs calling for a special investigation to use the existing committee system rather than rely on political accusations.

Addressing questions surrounding Dominic Bonsu, Mr Gyamfi reiterated that the businessman obtained his Tier Two gold-buying licence through GoldBod's regulatory framework.

He stressed that GoldBod's licensing system is digital and designed to ensure that qualified Ghanaian applicants can obtain licences without political considerations.

According to him, the CEO does not personally vet or meet the majority of individual licensees before licences are issued.

Mr Gyamfi said he had signed more than 1,000 licences since assuming responsibility at GoldBod but had not personally met most of the beneficiaries.

He therefore rejected suggestions that political connections or a personal relationship with him had influenced Mr Bonsu's licensing.

GoldBod has previously stated that Dominic Bonsu Ventures' Tier Two gold trading licence was suspended in July 2026 following suspected breaches of licence conditions and trading directives.

Mr Bonsu was subsequently arrested and remanded into custody following proceedings before an Accra High Court, with the matter remaining before the court.

GoldBod and Mr Gyamfi's lawyers have separately rejected allegations that the state institution suffered a GH¢200 million loss connected to Mr Bonsu, describing the claims as false, malicious and defamatory.

The controversy has nevertheless intensified scrutiny of GoldBod's financial controls, its Tier Two licensing regime and the system through which funds are advanced to gold dealers operating under the Board's framework.

Beyond the allegations surrounding his bodyguards and Mr Bonsu, Mr Gyamfi used the X Spaces session to highlight what he described as the government's broader reforms of Ghana's gold industry.

He said the administration's strategy was focused on strengthening the domestic gold value chain, increasing local refining capacity and improving oversight of gold trading.

He also linked the government's gold-led reserve accumulation strategy to an increase in Ghana's foreign exchange reserves.

According to Mr Gyamfi, Ghana's reserves have risen from approximately US$8.9 billion to US$13.8 billion under President John Dramani Mahama.

He maintained that the development of a stronger domestic gold ecosystem would allow Ghana to capture more value from its natural resources while improving transparency and strengthening the country's external financial position.

The latest comments are expected to keep the GoldBod controversy in the public spotlight as political parties and stakeholders continue to debate the institution's finances, licensing arrangements and management of Ghana's gold trade.