The Executive Director of the Africa Center for Parliamentary Affairs has called for eminent Ghanaians to be included in any parliamentary investigation into Ghana's Domestic Gold Purchase Programme, arguing that independent involvement would ensure credibility and prevent the inquiry from becoming a partisan contest between the NDC and NPP.
25 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Executive Director of the Africa Center for Parliamentary Affairs has called for an independent and transparent parliamentary investigation into Ghana's Domestic Gold Purchase Programme from its inception, arguing the inquiry should extend beyond the Ghana Gold Board period and include non-parliamentary voices given the programme's significant financial stakes.
25 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Speaker Alban Bagbin has ruled that President Mahama's announcement of Builsa North MP James Agalga as Majority Leader did not follow parliamentary procedure. Under Parliament's Standing Orders, changes in leadership of the Majority or Minority Caucus must be formally communicated to the Speaker by the political party's General Secretary, not the President.
25 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The NDC has formally notified the Speaker of Parliament of James Agalga's appointment as Majority Leader, replacing Mahama Ayariga. The appointment, communicated by NDC General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey on August 24, 2026, takes immediate effect and follows consultations between party leadership and the Presidency.
25 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Incoming Majority Leader James Agalga has refused to take sides on extortion allegations involving Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi, citing the Office of the Special Prosecutor's preliminary investigation and Afenyo-Markin's legal action. He called for restraint from all sides while investigations and court processes proceed.
25 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Incoming Majority Leader James Agalga has characterized extortion allegations against Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin as serious, but declined to comment on their merits since the matter is already before the courts and the Office of the Special Prosecutor. He urged all parties to allow state institutions to handle the case and called for a ceasefire in public exchanges to avoid interfering with ongoing processes.
25 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Incoming Majority Leader James Agalga has called for calm during an escalating dispute over extortion allegations involving Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, saying the matter should be left to courts and state agencies to investigate rather than allowing allegations to escalate further. Legal and institutional processes, including preliminary investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, have already been triggered.
25 August 2026 · Joy Online →
James Agalga, the incoming Majority Leader, has backed an early parliamentary probe into Ghana Gold Board operations, saying it will address concerns raised by the Minority. He said Parliament could use either an ad hoc committee or the Public Accounts Committee, and that key documents including an Auditor-General's report and IMF report already contain answers to questions about GoldBod.
25 August 2026 · Joy Online →
James Agalga, incoming Majority Leader, has defended the Ghana Gold Board against calls for a parliamentary probe into alleged losses under the domestic gold purchase programme, saying the board is prepared for scrutiny and accountability. He questioned whether a probe limited to 2025 would provide a complete picture, noting that issues surrounding the programme predate the board's current form, and cited the Auditor-General's 2025 report as containing no adverse findings against GoldBod.
25 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Incoming Majority Leader James Agalga says any Parliament probe into the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme should not be limited to 2025, but should cover the scheme's origins from 2021 and examine how gold purchases were conducted under previous administrations, particularly given an agreement between PMMC and the Bank of Ghana that dates to 2023 and remains in force.
25 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Incoming Majority Leader James Agalga has contested claims that the Gold Board incurred losses under its domestic gold purchasing operations, stating instead that it recorded a surplus of around 4 billion plus and is cited in the Auditor-General's report. The statement comes as Parliament's Minority pushes for an ad hoc committee investigation into what it says are losses from the government's gold trading scheme.
25 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Incoming Majority Leader James Agalga has defended the government's domestic gold purchase strategy, arguing that the Ghana Gold Board has played a key role in achieving economic gains in reserves, currency stability and inflation. Agalga said existing reports from the Auditor-General, IMF, and agreements between the Precious Minerals Marketing Company and Bank of Ghana already address questions raised by the Minority about the programme's operations and losses.
25 August 2026 · Joy Online →