Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has weighed in on the ongoing GoldBod procurement controversy involving Deputy Chief of Staff Stan Dogbe.

According to him in an interview with Channel One on March 17, 2026, the use of the word “scandal” in the matter is misplaced and does not reflect the facts at hand.

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“I think that one of the things that has happened recently is the throwing about of the word scandal. What is a scandal really? A scandal connotes wrongdoing. It's a conflict of interest, so you must establish where the conflict is,” the minister argued.

He explained that the Deputy Chief of Staff’s company had existed long before his appointment and had an established track record.

Kwakye Ofosu further explained that the company followed due process by participating in a competitive bidding process.

“The deputy chief of staff has a company that existed for many years before he became deputy chief of staff, which has done projects. They have a track record that you can verify for yourself so they learn of some tender process by the Gold Board to have their office refurbished, they put in a bid, their bid is deemed to be competitive, they are engaged, they execute the project.

"There's no question about the quality of work they've done or whether they've shortchanged Gold Board or done anything that is contrary to Ghanaian law so where exactly is a scandal in this particular matter?” he asked.

He argued that the Deputy Chief of Staff does not have the authority to unilaterally award contracts, rejecting suggestions of influence peddling.

“The deputy chief of staff does not oversee government, as you say it. He works under the auspices of the chief of staff so the assumption that a deputy chief of staff can simply commandeer a contract is not the case,” he indicated.

Drawing a distinction with cabinet-level decision-making, and referencing the issue involving former Minister of Agriculture Bryan Acheampong over his interest in acquiring stakes in SSNIT hotels, he indicated that conflict of interest arises only when an official participates in decisions from which they directly benefit.

“But a cabinet minister takes part in decisions that the government makes so if you are part of decision-making and you also seek to profit, that's where there's a difficulty,” he continued.

He stressed the need to focus on whether due process was followed rather than speculation.

“But the point is that you need to look at the process, whether there's been any violation of any sort. So, if it was the case that, for instance, the deputy chief of staff was the one renovating his own outfits and his company did it, then there's clear conflict. The conflict is between the decision-making and the benefits,” he explained.

The minister also clarified that the GoldBod does not fall under the Presidency, distancing the matter from the seat of government.

“In fact, Goldbod falls under the Ministry of Finance and not at the presidency. It has nothing to do with the presidency so when you seek to compare it with what a cabinet minister, who has been part of the decision of government to divest hotels, seeks to profit from...” he clarified.

He concluded by reiterating that conflict of interest is only established when a public official benefits from a decision they directly influenced.

“So, in the process of taking that decision, if you participate in it, you cannot turn around to benefit from it. That is really what the issue was,” he stated.

Background

Allegations from critics have been rife that the Ghana Gold Board awarded an office renovation contract worth GH¢11 million to a company owned by Stan Dogbe, a presidential staffer, through sole-sourcing.

However, GoldBod dismissed the claims in a March 14, 2026, statement, clarifying that the contract was awarded through a restricted tendering process approved by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).

GoldBod explained that following its establishment in April 2025, the Board embarked on a major recruitment drive, bringing on board over 300 new staff and expanding its organisational structure.

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This development necessitated a relocation from the former PMMC offices at Diamond House to the old Bank of Ghana Head Office on Thorpe Road in Accra, a move which required significant renovation works.

“Where exactly is the scandal in this matter? If you’re part of decision-making and also seek to profit, that’s where there’s a problem,” — Felix Kwakye Ofosu on the GoldBod procurement row involving the Deputy Chief of Staff.

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— CITI FM 97.3 (@Citi973) March 17, 2026