Probe Sammy Gyamfi - NPP urges investigative bodies

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service to launch a thorough investigation into the conduct of the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi.

The NPP's demand stems from a viral video showing Mr Gyamfi giving an unspecified amount of dollars to Evangelist Patricia Oduro, popularly known as Nana Agradaa, which the party claims breaches several laws, including the Foreign Exchange Act and the Code of Conduct. 

Breach of laws

Addressing a press conference in Accra yesterday, the NPP’s National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, described the incident as a blatant breach of the country’s laws and a mockery of the Code of Conduct recently unveiled by President John Mahama for his appointees.

“The act of spraying fresh US dollar notes is not only irresponsible but also a violation of the Foreign Exchange Act, 2006 (Act 723).

“The law expressly prohibits dealing in foreign exchange without a licence, and the use of foreign currency in domestic transactions is illegal without authorisation from the Bank of Ghana,” he stated.

He further stressed that Mr Gyamfi’s conduct contradicted Sections 1.2 and 1.3 of President Mahama’s Code of Conduct, which required public officials to manage their affairs in a manner that withstands public scrutiny and protects the integrity of their office.

The NPP also accused Mr Gyamfi, who doubles as National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Communications Officer, of undermining public confidence in the local currency.

“If Sammy Gyamfi, the CEO, who is responsible for maintaining sufficient reserves to prevent a depreciation of the cedi, possesses dollars in his daily routine and spends it as if it is the legal tender of Ghana, then clearly he has no confidence in the Ghana Cedi and is, therefore, unfit to superintend over an institution crucial to the stability of the Ghana Cedis as the GoldBod,” Mr Boakye asked.

Criminal enterprise

Citing sections of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044), the NPP said that Sammy Gyamfi must account for the source of the money or risk facing prosecution for money laundering.

“We say without fear of contradiction that, in the absence of Sammy Gyamfi providing direct evidence of the source of the funds running into thousands of United States Dollars found in his car, as seen in the video widely circulated on social media, those funds are proceeds of unlawful or a criminal enterprise by Sammy Gyamfi,” he said.

The party urged investigators to search Mr Gyamfi’s properties, probe his tenure at both the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) and GoldBod, and act in accordance with the law.

The NPP drew comparisons to the Cecilia Dapaah case, where investigations were launched and the former minister resigned.

“We demand that the same standard be applied. Sammy Gyamfi must step aside and avail himself for investigations,” Mr Boakye stressed.

He called on President Mahama to immediately dismiss or interdict Mr Gyamfi pending the outcome of investigations.