Former chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC) Professor Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo has questioned the decision to use the presidency’s Government Accountability Series as a platform for the Ghana Gold Board (GOLDBOD) to account to Ghanaians.

He argues that GOLDBOD is a statutory entity established by law and, therefore, should be directly accountable for its operations rather than being presented as a government programme.

Speaking on Kumasi-based Owia TV, Prof Boadu Ayeboafo said the arrangement raised questions about the government’s role in accounting for the operations of an institution that can sue and be sued in its own name.

“If the Women’s Development Bank is established and it incurs losses, it is not the Vice-President who is called to account,” he said, arguing that government accountability platforms should primarily focus on programmes and policies directly implemented by the government.

His comments come amid continuing political debate over the financial implications of Ghana’s domestic gold purchasing arrangements and the respective responsibilities of GOLDBOD and the Bank of Ghana

Prof Boadu Ayeboafo believes producing GOLDBOD’s audited accounts alone may not resolve the concerns raised by the opposition because some of the losses under discussion may not appear directly in GOLDBOD’s accounts.

He argued that this distinction was important because GOLDBOD and the Bank of Ghana operate together within the gold purchasing and trading arrangement.

He said the explanation that gold purchases are made using a rate different from the Bank of Ghana’s reference rate also required closer scrutiny.

“The gold belongs to Ghanaians,” he said, stressing that the key question should be who ultimately bears the financial cost when there is a difference between the rates used.

Prof Boadu Ayeboafo nevertheless described GoldBod’s role in trading gold on behalf of Ghanaians as a positive development, but said the institution must be prepared to answer legitimate questions about its financial operations.

He also took issue with the exchange between GOLDBOD Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi and Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin over the latter’s demand for accountability.

Mr Gyamfi had challenged Mr Afenyo-Markin to meet him in Parliament over the GoldBod controversy.

Prof Boadu Ayeboafo said such a challenge overlooked the constitutional procedure governing parliamentary summons.

He explained that an individual member of Parliament, including the Majority or Minority Leader, could not unilaterally compel a person to appear before the House without the Speaker admitting the matter and issuing the appropriate summons.

The professor said the central issue should therefore remain accountability and transparency rather than political exchanges.

“When there are issues of accountability and you come and insult, then it means you haven’t responded to the issues,” he said.