GACC and stakeholders condemn viral video of Sammy Gyamfi

The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) on Monday condemned a viral video showing Mr Sammy Gyamfi, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GOLDBOD) handing some undisclosed sums of US dollars to Madam Patricia Oduro Koranteng, a popular social media influencer and evangelist.

Madam Koranteng, popularly known as “Nana Agradaa” (Thunder) is a former fetish priestess-turned evangelist. 

Mr Samuel Harrison-Cudjoe, Programs Officer at the GACC criticised the video, describing the action of Mr Gyamfi, also the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as a breach of portions of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, recently launched by President John Dramani Mahama. 

He was responding to a question posed by a participant at the opening session of two-day sensitisation training and capacity building of stakeholders in Ghana’s anti-corruption drive, held at Abesim, near Sunyani. 

The participant wanted to know if the action attributed to Mr Gyamfi, as shown in the viral video was tantamount to corruption. 

Responding Mr Harrison-Cudjoe said: “In fact, in my mind what Sammy Gyamfi did breaches the propriety angle and the statement of ethics of the Code of Conduct. 

“It is a careless behaviour and an act of indiscretion that our leaders should not put up at all. Our leaders must exhibit proper behaviour, and the President must punish him for that to serve as a deterrent to like-minded others.He added: “Even we are seriously asking the nation to go cashless, and he is carrying those sums of money around and we must hold him accountable for breaching that angle for him to pay the price.”Mr Leonard Amengo, a renowned journalist and the Operations Director of Media Light Consult, also described the action of Mr Gyamfi as “immature, inexperienced, and called on the government to probe into the source of money. 

According to Mr Raphael Ahenu, there was no law in the country that barred somebody from giving out a gift however he said Mr Gyamfi remained a public figure who occupied an enviable position in government. 

He explained that until his source of the money was established, Mr Gyamfi action could not be associated with corruption and added his voice on the need for the government to investigate the incident. 

Nonetheless, Mr Ahenu also called on the government to sanction Mr Gyamfi for what he described as unacceptable behaviour from a public officer.

The GACC in collaboration with the Center for Democratic Development (CDD Ghana) is organising the training in line with the implementation of its Strengthening Accountability, Rule of Law and Institutional Responsiveness in Ghana (SARI) project. 

It is an initiative, being funded by the European Union, and a consortium project by the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), and GACC and aimed at empowering citizens and promoting transparency. 

Meanwhile, the viral video of Mr Gyamfi took the centre of attention as many of the participants, including chiefs, queens, the media as well as representatives from some public institutions and agencies discussed the topic extensively. 

Source: GNA 

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