Massive gold, cash bust by National Security - Minority demands explanations 2 months after operation
The Minority in Parliament has demanded explanations from last February's massive gold and cash seizures from a warehouse in Greater Accra said to have been made by the National Security in an operation.
The Minority through the Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour is therefore calling for full accountability from the government regarding the gold and cash seizures made by National Security in February this year, which they claim are worth billions of dollars.
They said despite the high-profile nature of the operation, nearly two months have passed without any updates from the National Security.
“It is unacceptable that, after all this time, we still don’t know the exact quantity of gold or the specific amount of cash seized,” he added.
The identities of those responsible for the large-scale shipment of gold and cash remain unknown, and the government has not clarified what it intends to do with the assets, which are still under National Security's custody.
“We demand accountability,” Rev. Fordjour insisted. “National Security must provide a clear explanation of the gold bars and cash seized, as well as their intentions for these assets.”
“We, the Mighty Minority, demand transparency and accountability,” Rev. Fordjour continued. “The Ghanaian people have a legitimate question: Does the government intend to divert the 12 containers filled with gold and cash, only to later claim the gold is fake and the cash counterfeit?”
Related: Massive gold, cash bust: National Security seizes millions - Suspects flee
What happened?
The National Security said it made a massive bust, seizing a large unspecified amount of US dollars and Ghana Cedis, including counterfeits hidden in 12 different 20-foot shipping containers.
The sting operation also discovered and led to the seizure of boxes of heavy metals, which were suspected to be gold bars.
The containers were tracked to a warehouse at Ofakor, where a special late-night operation was conducted after a tip-off.
The concealed currency, mostly bundles of US dollars, was found in wooden boxes covered with cement.
Extra currencies were discovered when other boxes were opened in the warehouse during the sting operation, all of them suspected to be fake and stashed in the boxes that were sealed with plywood and covered with charcoal.
National Security operatives involved in the operation disclosed that two more containers were being tracked.
Although suspects of the crime syndicate were said to be on the run, the National Security said a manhunt was underway for four of them, including the suspected ring leader, who was then only known as Alhaji, a source with inside knowledge about the issue told the Daily Graphic's Kester Aburam Korankye.
Other items retrieved from the warehouse, according to the source, included boxes of metals suspected to be gold bars, counterfeit Ghana Cedi notes in 50 and 100 denominations, and fake Ghana Army uniforms and boots.
The source indicated that the latest discovery could be one of the biggest in volume and value in the country in recent times.
Minority demands explanations
The Minority Caucus at a press conference said since the operation, the public has not been updated, raising concerns about how the government is handling the matter.
The Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, who addressed the minority press conference.
“This operation has attracted significant media attention,” Rev. Fordjour said. “The public has a right to know how much was seized and the full scope of the operation.”
Despite the high-profile nature of the operation, nearly two months have passed without any updates from National Security.
“It is unacceptable that, after all this time, we still don’t know the exact quantity of gold or the specific amount of cash seized,” he added.
The identities of those responsible for the large-scale shipment of gold and cash remain unknown, and the government has not clarified what it intends to do with the assets, which are still under National Security's custody.
“We demand accountability,” Rev. Fordjour insisted. “National Security must provide a clear explanation of the gold bars and cash seized, as well as their intentions for these assets.”
“We, the Mighty Minority, demand transparency and accountability,” Rev. Fordjour continued. “The Ghanaian people have a legitimate question: Does the government intend to divert the 12 containers filled with gold and cash, only to later claim the gold is fake and the cash counterfeit?”
The Minority has given National Security a two-month deadline to update the public on the progress of the investigation.
However, with no information forthcoming, scepticism is growing, he said.
“We assure the public that the mighty minority will not rest until a full and transparent account of the situation is provided by the Minister for the Interior,” Rev. Fordjour stated.
Emphasising the importance of transparency, he highlighted the potential impact of the discovery on the country.
“The public’s growing scepticism is entirely understandable,” he remarked. “It is crucial that the government provides a clear and honest account to maintain trust and confidence among the people of Ghana.”
"The Minority caucus's commitment to ensuring that the government, through the Minister for Interior, provides a clear and transparent account of the investigation's findings and plans is crucial in maintaining public trust and confidence,"he concluded.
