Former Upper East Regional Minister and a member of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) Prof. Ephraim Avea Nsoh has expressed disappointment with the decision of President John Dramani Mahama not to take punitive action against the Acting CEO of the Ghana Gold Board (Goldbod).
Sammy Gyamfi came under heavy public criticisms after he was seen in a viral video recording dolling out cash in United States dollar denomination to controversial evangelist Patricia Oduro Koranteng popularly known as Nana Agradaa.
Although the Acting Goldbod CEO apologized for what he termed as an “unfortunate indiscretion”, some, particularly, the main opposition New Patriotic Party, demanded his dismissal and investigation into his action.
The Presidency announced Monday that it had summoned him for query and later on Wednesday May 14, 2025, said it accepted his apology and cautioned him.
Government Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who announced the decision, said the presidency did not find it necessary to take further action against Gyamfi beyond the caution it had issued him.
But Prof. Avea Nsoh said the decision of the President is disappointing and could erode the goodwill Ghanaians have towards the government and the governing party.
He argued that the incident presented the President and his administration an opportunity to stamp their authority and demonstrate commitment to upholding good governance.
“I am so disappointed in this kind of conclusion and it’s like we are trivializing very serious things and then we are being more political than being more patriotic and nationalistic. This is not good for the country, it’s not good for the president.”
He added, “In fact, it’s not good for the NDC and individuals like us who are ready to stand for the party and who have spent all our lives since 1979 to stand to help the party and then to have this huge goodwill from the whole population because of the way they voted for us, and for you to allow this simple thing, which we could do just one simple thing and, I mean, create a good impression there, you just throw it off. It’s shocking. I can’t believe the president did this. I’m so sad.”
While he does not find the action of the Acting Goldbod CEO illegal or criminal, he said it fuels the tendency for corruption and thus, he expected the President to take punitive action to send a strong signal of his zero tolerance for the plundering of state resources.
Avea Nsoh, however, disagreed with calls for an outright dismissal of the Acting CEO but insisted he should have been penalized to preserve his (Gyamfi’s) and the party’s image.
