Audio By Carbonatix
Asempa FM's Ekosiisen show, led by host, Philip Osei Bonsu, has formally filed a Right to Information (RTI) request directed at the Bank of Ghana (BoG), seeking transparency regarding the financial performance of the state's Gold-for-Reserve (G4R) programme.
The request, dated January 7, 2026, comes on the heels of an assessment by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which reportedly flagged losses exceeding $214 million within the first nine months of 2025.
In the formal petition, Ekosiisen cited Article 21(f) of the 1992 Constitution and the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), to demand a clear breakdown of the programme's status.
It noted that while the central bank's 2024 Annual Report made no mention of losses, the BoG has yet to officially publish a comprehensive report on the profits or losses of the G4R initiative since its inception.
The RTI request specifically asks the Bank of Ghana for:
- Annual Purchase Volumes: The volume of gold purchased for each year of the G4R programme.
- Financial Value: The total value of gold purchased annually since the programme began.
- Profit/Loss Statements: A year-by-year report of all recorded profits or losses.
The host of the show emphasised that this request is made in the interest of transparency and accountability on behalf of his listeners and the broader public.
The Bank of Ghana is currently undergoing its annual external audit. Until those audited financial statements are released later this year, the true cost—or gain—of Ghana's gold-backed economic strategy remains the subject of intense national debate.
The push for transparency follows the IMF’s Fifth Review Report under Ghana’s Extended Credit Facility, which pointed to trading shortfalls and high off-taker fees as drivers for the alleged $214 million loss (approximately 0.2% of GDP).
However, the Bank of Ghana has dismissed these figures as speculative.
The central bank maintains that the G4R programme has been a critical tool in stabilising the Ghana Cedi—which appreciated by 40% in 2025—and expanding gross international reserves to over $13 billion by the end of last year.
The situation is further complicated by statements from the CEO of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi.
Mr. Gyamfi recently claimed that GoldBod itself generated an income surplus of over GH₵960 million in 2025.
He argued that even if the reported BoG trading costs were accurate, they represent operational costs rather than a national economic loss when compared to the $8 billion in foreign exchange mobilised by the board.
Latest Stories
-
Vice President joins Effutu people to celebrate Aboakyer 2026
25 seconds -
Tera Carissa Hodges joins global creatives to discuss cultural sovereignty at AfroCannes 2026
21 minutes -
TCDA CEO leads charge to scale up cashew apple value addition opportunities
29 minutes -
MGL’s May Day Egg market ends in resounding success as crowds turn out for affordable eggs
1 hour -
Energy expert advocates increased private-sector role in power distribution to tackle dumsor
1 hour -
Tony Asare Writes: A clotted artery, by-passes and detours
1 hour -
No road project cancelled under Mahama’s reset agenda — Roads Minister
1 hour -
Mahama praises IGP Yohunu, hails intelligence-led policing at Krobo-Odumase commissioning
1 hour -
“Energy situation is stable” – John Jinapor assures Ghanaians
1 hour -
Ghana Tuna Association reaffirms sustainability commitment on World Tuna Day
1 hour -
Mahama commissions Odumase Krobo Divisional Police HQ, boosts operations with vehicles
2 hours -
Roads Minister urges contractors to stay on site, assures prioritised payments
2 hours -
Suhuyini credits Ameri plant for averting 2024 power crisis in Kumasi
2 hours -
Thirteen killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, health ministry says
2 hours -
Tano North MP sounds alarm over galamsey devastation, accuses officials of shielding perpetrators
2 hours