Policy Analyst, Peter Terkper, has urged the management of the Ghana Gold Board, GOLDBOD, to treat criticisms from the Minority in Parliament as concerns of the general public and not as a partisan attack.
Speaking on Bullet TV’s Morning Target, Mr. Terkper said the Minority Caucus is asking questions on behalf of Ghanaians who do not have direct access to the Board.
“The management team of GOLDBOD, the Board, should not look at it from the political point of view but they should look at it from the perspective that the Minority, the opposition, is trying to find answers to questions that the majority of Ghanaians should have the opportunity to ask them because they will not have the opportunity to meet them,” he said.
Mr. Terkper stressed that GOLDBOD must “devoid discussions with politics” and instead provide the public with clear financial information.
“They should tell us this is the financials of Gold Board. Yes, we’ve made this loss, but this is the breakdown of the loss that they are talking about because whether we like it or not, a loss has been reported,” he added.
His comments come after Minority Leader, Abena Osei-Asare, demanded answers from government over a reported $1.7BN loss at GOLDBOD.
The Policy Analyst argued that state institutions managing Ghana’s natural resources owe Ghanaians transparency and accountability, especially amid public concern over revenue and losses.
He said constructive engagement with critics will help build trust in GOLDBOD’s mandate to regulate gold trading, formalize small-scale mining, and increase foreign exchange earnings.
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com