Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the Second Deputy Minority Whip and Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, has launched a scathing critique of the government, accusing it of orchestrating a “cover-up” following the Speaker’s refusal to grant the Minority Caucus’s request for a formal probe into the activities of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod).
The lawmaker argued that a government truly committed to probity, stability, and transparent governance should have no reservations about subjecting its operations to public scrutiny.
This reaction follows Parliament’s recent rejection of a minority-sponsored motion which sought the establishment of an ad hoc committee to investigate the Gold-for-Reserves scheme and its reported financial losses.
The proposed committee was intended to evaluate the scheme’s design, implementation, governance structure, and financial performance, alongside its broader environmental and public health implications.
The motion was sponsored by a group of prominent MPs, including Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (Ofoase-Ayirebi), Tweneboah Kodua Fokuo (Manso Nkwanta), Jerry Ahmed Shaib (Weija-Gbawe), Vincent Ekow Assafuah (Old Tafo), and Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah (Offinso South). Formally moved by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and seconded by Abena Osei-Asare (Atiwa East), the motion was ultimately defeated by a voice vote after a prolonged debate.
The Speaker also declined a request by the minority leader to conduct the vote via secret ballot.
In an interview on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Jerry Ahmed Shaib described the rejection as both “ridiculous and most unfortunate”.
Drawing a parallel to the biblical narrative of King Solomon adjudicating between two women claiming the same child, Shaib suggested that the minority—like the rightful mother—has nothing to fear from the truth.
He dismissed assertions that the caucus was merely “fishing” for non-existent scandals, challenging the leadership of GoldBod to submit to an inquiry if they have nothing to hide.
Central to the minority’s concerns is a reported $214 million loss involving the Ghana Gold Board, which Shaib insists constitutes a significant financial loss to the state.
He called upon the Bank of Ghana to take immediate action, noting that the figures were not fabricated by political opponents but were highlighted in the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) September 2025 report.
“The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had noted the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) incurred losses of approximately US$214 million under the government’s gold purchase programme. The figure was captured in the Staff Report for the Fifth Review of Ghana’s IMF-supported programme. It was not captured by the minority. You claim there was no scandal, and we have also referenced the document by the IMF, and so, if the Gold Board claims it has not made losses, it should not be afraid to be probed. Those stating there is no scandal should cast their minds back to the Solomon example and the dead baby incident. When the women went before Solomon, the owner of the child that was alive was ready for accountability.”
Speaking to host Kwabena Agyapong, the MP stressed by stating that individuals guilty of corruption or complicit in scandals often seek ways to evade accountability when they know their actions will not withstand a thorough investigation.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
