By Clement Akoloh
ACCRA, Aug. 25, 2026 — Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has admitted a Minority motion seeking an investigation into the operations and alleged losses of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), but ruled that it cannot be taken during the House’s current one-week emergency recall.
The ruling came as Parliament reconvened on Monday following a recall initiated by President John Dramani Mahama under Order 58(4) of the Standing Orders.
Speaker Bagbin said he had personally examined the motion filed by the Minority and was prepared to admit it because Parliament needed to establish the facts surrounding the controversy over whether GoldBod’s reported losses should be regarded as losses or the cost of implementing a broader economic policy.
“I have gone through the motion myself and I intend to admit the motion. Because we have to at least have an end to litigation as to whether it’s a loss or it’s a cost.”
He said the motion would give Parliament the opportunity to examine the matter and provide greater transparency.
“It’s not proper for us to try to cover up anything,” the Speaker stated.
However, he ruled that the motion could not be considered during the current recall because the conditions governing a Members-initiated recall under Order 59 apply when Parliament is on recess, rather than when the House has already been recalled and is sitting.
Speaker Bagbin subsequently directed that the House restrict its business during the emergency sitting to the three matters for which President Mahama requested the recall.
These are the Banks and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions (Amendment) Bill, the vetting of two ministerial nominees, and the vetting of three nominees to the Supreme Court.
He further directed the Table Office not to admit Questions, Statements or other new business during the recall.
Minority presses GoldBod, dumsor and judicial independence
The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, used his welcome remarks to signal that the Minority would continue to press issues it considers critical to the public interest.
In a strongly worded address, he described the emergency recall as a test of Parliament’s response to some of the country’s pressing challenges.
“It will be recorded whether this House watched about a darkened nation, or whether we demanded the light be restored and kept.”
He also raised concerns about the administration of justice, warning against what he described as the use of the machinery of justice as a weapon of political fear.
“This Minority knows which record it intends to leave,” he said.
Afenyo-Markin had earlier filed a motion seeking parliamentary scrutiny of GoldBod, cocoa registration and the resurgence of power outages, popularly known as dumsor.
Ayariga defends GoldBod
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga mounted a strong defence of GoldBod, rejecting the Minority’s characterisation of the institution’s reported losses.
According to Mr Ayariga, the transactions being described as losses should instead be understood within the broader context of government’s fiscal and monetary strategy.
“You may describe it as GoldBod losses, but we see it as an innovative national fiscal and monetary policy that is stabilizing our currency, that is making our economy stronger.”
He argued that the policy had contributed to a stronger cedi, stable inflation and improved debt servicing, while pointing to positive assessments from international rating agencies.
The Majority Leader acknowledged concerns raised by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund over GoldBod’s operations but said the institutions had recommended that any losses associated with the policy be borne by government rather than the Bank of Ghana.
He said reforms were underway to shift the relevant transactions from the Central Bank to government.
Mr Ayariga also accused the Minority of political inconsistency, arguing that while it had criticised GoldBod, it had also sought to associate the initiative with former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
“If you keep telling a particular story, no matter how untrue that story is, the public might begin to believe that that is the truth,” he said.
Government gives September deadline for end of power outages
On the renewed power outages, Mr Ayariga told the House that the Energy Minister had assured government that the current difficulties would be brought to an end by the end of September 2026.
He attributed the outages to three major factors: a fire outbreak which damaged a transmission substation, maintenance shutdowns affecting gas supplies, and ageing power infrastructure requiring scheduled maintenance.
The assurance is expected to come under increased scrutiny as the Minority continues to raise concerns about the impact of the outages on households, businesses and the wider economy.
Ayariga defends Chief Justice over legal vacation
The Majority Leader also defended the Chief Justice’s decision to cancel the legal vacation in an effort to expedite the hearing and determination of cases.
The directive has attracted criticism from the Minority Leader, who is currently facing prosecution.
Mr Ayariga questioned why an accused person who maintains his innocence would object to the judiciary expediting his case.
“If I were an accused person who believes I have not committed an offence, I want the judge to expeditiously consider my matter.”
He rejected suggestions of political targeting and stressed that politicians should not consider themselves above the law.
“Crime is crime. We should not consider ourselves as politicians as being in a special class that can commit crimes and get away with it.”
He argued that Parliament should not be used to intimidate law enforcement agencies or interfere with the administration of justice.
Bagbin urges use of recall procedure
Speaker Bagbin also used the occasion to clarify the procedure available to Members who wish to initiate a parliamentary recall.
He explained that Order 59 allows Members to trigger a recall when the House is on recess and said he could facilitate such a recall within approximately three to four days after consultations with the leadership of the House.
The clarification potentially provides Members with a faster mechanism for bringing urgent matters before Parliament outside the normal sitting calendar.
Speaker Bagbin also linked the principle of parliamentary openness to Ghana’s participation in the Open Government Partnership.
“We are now part of the Open Governance Partnership and we have opened our Parliaments beyond any other Parliament in Africa.”
He said he did not intend to stand in the way of transparency.
Ayariga and Zanetor nominations
Meanwhile, Mr Ayariga confirmed that he remains Majority Leader until Parliament vets his nomination as Minister-designate for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.
He said he would deliver a formal farewell address to the House if and when he leaves the leadership position following his vetting.
The Majority Leader also confirmed the nomination of Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings as Minister-designate for Environment, Science and Technology.
He expressed confidence that Parliament would expedite the vetting and approval process, noting that his colleagues had previously expressed strong support for Dr Agyeman-Rawlings.
The Supreme Court nominees whose vetting forms part of the emergency business are Justice Sophia Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Anthony Forson Jnr.
Mr Ayariga noted that Justice Bernasko Essah had previously been nominated to the Supreme Court by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, although the relevant report was not taken by Parliament.
He therefore suggested that her previous nomination should not create an obstacle to the current process.
Five-day emergency sitting
The Majority Leader urged all Members to attend Parliament throughout the five-day emergency sitting, saying the limited period available would require the House to complete its assigned business within the week.
The Majority is also expected to move motions to suspend relevant Standing Orders and abridge the required period for public notices in order to meet the Speaker’s deadline.
For now, however, the GoldBod motion remains outside the agenda of the emergency sitting despite the Speaker’s decision to admit it.
The House will therefore focus exclusively on the Banks and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions (Amendment) Bill, the vetting of Mahama Ayariga and Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, and the vetting of Justice Sophia Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Anthony Forson Jnr.
The substantive GoldBod debate could therefore return to the parliamentary agenda through the appropriate procedure once the House is no longer operating under the President’s emergency recall.
Source: parliamentnews360.com
