Noise Maker, Palm Wine Bar Talk, Prison in His Brain: Sammy Gyamfi tears into Afenyo-Markin

By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi/ Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada
August 19, 2026

Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi has launched a strong verbal attack on Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, describing some of his recent comments as nothing more than “fanciful” talk from a palm wine bar.

Gyamfi’s comments came during the government’s Accountability Series on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, following criticism from the Minority over GoldBod’s operations and alleged financial losses.

The latest exchange adds to growing political tensions surrounding GoldBod, with the opposition demanding answers over allegations of approximately GH¢22 billion in losses, while Gyamfi has defended the institution’s performance and challenged his critics to scrutinise the facts.

Gyamfi dismisses Afenyo-Markin’s comments

Responding to the Minority Leader’s recent statements, Gyamfi accused Afenyo-Markin of failing to properly research the issues before making public claims about GoldBod.

He described the comments as “the fanciful efficiency of a palm wine bar”, arguing that they should be treated as comic relief rather than serious parliamentary commentary.

Gyamfi also questioned what he described as a decline in the quality of debate from the office of the Minority Leader, comparing Afenyo-Markin’s approach with that of former occupants of the position, including J.H. Mensah, Papa Owusu-Ankomah and Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.

According to Gyamfi, those former parliamentary leaders were known for their depth and substantive contributions to national debates.

‘I will go to prison in his brain’

Gyamfi went further by responding directly to Afenyo-Markin’s warning that officials of the current administration, including GoldBod executives, could face difficult legal consequences if the NPP returns to power.

Afenyo-Markin had reportedly warned that the bail conditions facing some government officials could become “scary”, particularly in relation to allegations surrounding GoldBod.

Gyamfi dismissed the warning and said he was not intimidated.

“So I will go to prison in his brain, and I will have onerous bail terms in his brain.”

He added that he was not afraid of what he described as intimidation tactics because he believed he and his colleagues were serving the country in good conscience.

GoldBod performance becomes political flashpoint

The dispute comes amid an increasingly heated political debate over GoldBod’s financial performance and its role in Ghana’s gold industry.

Afenyo-Markin and other opposition figures have raised questions about alleged losses, demanding greater accountability from the government and GoldBod’s leadership.

Gyamfi, however, has maintained that the organisation’s achievements should also be considered when assessing its performance.

He pointed to developments in Ghana’s local gold-refining capacity, arguing that GoldBod has contributed to efforts to increase value addition within the country’s gold industry.

The GoldBod CEO has also said he is prepared to face Parliament and answer questions concerning the institution’s activities.

Political rhetoric intensifies

The latest confrontation reflects the increasingly personal tone of Ghana’s political debate over GoldBod.

While the opposition says the government must account for alleged financial losses, Gyamfi has accused his critics of relying on inaccurate or poorly researched claims.

For now, the controversy is expected to continue as Parliament and political actors examine GoldBod’s financial records and performance.

Gyamfi, meanwhile, says he remains confident that the results of his work will ultimately speak for themselves.

The dispute underscores the broader political challenge surrounding Ghana’s gold sector, where questions of revenue, value addition, transparency and accountability have become increasingly important to the national economic debate.