The Ghana Gold Board has rejected claims that it owes the Bank of Ghana (BoG) GH¢1 billion in an unpaid overdraft, describing the allegation as false and part of a deliberate campaign to discredit the institution.
The GoldBod was responding to a claim attributed to the Member of Parliament for Tano North, Dr Gideon Boako, that the state-owned gold agency had an outstanding GH¢1 billion overdraft with the central bank.
In a statement, GoldBod’s Media Relations Officer, Prince Kwame Minkah, said the claim was without basis and challenged the MP to withdraw it.
“For the records, the GoldBod has never at any time since its establishment taken a loan, overdraft or any debt instrument from the Bank of Ghana or any financial institution whatsoever,” the statement said.
GoldBod said the allegation formed part of what it described as a “deliberate and malicious smear campaign” against the institution.
It maintained that it has not contracted any loan or overdraft facility from the central bank or any other financial institution since its establishment.
The institution therefore called on Dr Boako to “unequivocally retract and apologize” for what it described as the dissemination of false information.
The latest dispute comes amid heightened political scrutiny of GoldBod’s operations and its financial dealings with the Bank of Ghana.
GoldBod has been at the centre of growing public and parliamentary debate over its operations, including questions surrounding its relationship with the central bank and the financial implications of the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
