Dollar gift saga: Victoria Hammah and 4 key figures who have defended Sammy Gyamfi

The controversy surrounding an $800 cash gift from the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, to evangelist Patricia Oduro Koranteng—popularly known as Nana Agradaa—continues to generate mixed reactions across the country.

A section of the public, led by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has called for Mr Gyamfi’s suspension or dismissal, and for a thorough investigation by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

However, another group has come to his defence, insisting that the situation does not warrant such punitive measures.

The latest to join those defending Mr Gyamfi is former Deputy Communications Minister, Victoria Hammah. Ms Hammah was dismissed in 2013 by then-President John Mahama over a leaked recording in which she claimed she would remain in politics until she earned $1 million (£600,000).

ALSO READ: Dollar Gift Saga: NPP alleges money laundering, urges OSP, CID to prosecute Sammy Gyamfi

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, 14 May 2025, Hammah urged President Mahama to reprimand Gyamfi, rather than dismiss him. She wrote:

This recommendation emerges not as an attempt to trivialise the gravity of the situation, but rather as a call for balanced adjudication—one that recognises the necessity of accountability while remaining anchored in the principles of mentorship, institutional resilience, and democratic maturation.

She is not alone in her stance. Here are four other prominent figures who have publicly supported the GoldBod CEO:

1. Martin Kpebu

Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has appealed to the President not to punish Gyamfi, claiming the controversy is rife with misinformation and politically motivated attacks.

Speaking on 3FM, he stated Sammy Gyamfi counted the money in the private space of his car and not an open space.

“He did not stand openly to count that money. He entered his car to count the money, that is his private space.We really have to be careful how we analyze this”

— Ghanaian private legal practitioner, Lawyer Martin Kpebu on the Sammy Gyamfi-Agradaa pic.twitter.com/uYGCaOEu0q

— Gh Mayor Show (@ghmayorshow) May 13, 2025

2. Malik Basintale

Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, has also spoken in Gyamfi’s defence, arguing that it is not illegal to possess US dollars in Ghana.

In an interview on TV3, he dismissed comparisons with the Cecilia Abena Dapaah case, noting the vast difference in the amounts involved.

There is no law that criminalizes the possession of dollars - @malik_basintale distinguishes between Sammy Gyamfi's cash gift to Agradaa and the Cecilia Dapaah cash saga.#TV3NewDay pic.twitter.com/ivoJBqFi3a

— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) May 13, 2025

3. Francis-Xavier Sosu

The Member of Parliament for Madina, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has also supported Gyamfi, insisting that he committed no wrongdoing.

In a social media post, he suggested that envy was driving the criticism, writing:

It is well. You committed no crime. The haters are hurt. They can’t believe that God can lift and bless you such that you can become a blessing unto others. Leave them—let them do their worst. We got you. God has your back. Stay focused and blessed.

4. Ernest Owusu Bempah

In a surprising twist, Deputy Director of Communications for the NPP, Ernest Owusu Bempah, has also defended Sammy Gyamfi.

Speaking on Net 2 TV on Monday, 12 May, Mr Bempah stated that the act of giving a cash gift was not illegal, accusing critics of hypocrisy and attempting to tarnish Gyamfi’s reputation.

He noted that members of the NPP have also engaged in similar gestures.

ALSO READ: Sammy the ‘saint’ and Agradaa the ‘rich beggar’: Is there really more blessing in giving?

Meanwhile, the Office of the President has yet to issue an official statement on the next steps regarding Mr Gyamfi, days after he was summoned by Chief of Staff Julius Debrah.

“Sammy Gyamfi did nothing wrong” NPP’s Owusu Bempah defends Sammy Gyamfi. pic.twitter.com/uqPJ0kPrtW

— Milito (@milito177__) May 14, 2025

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