The National Media Commission (NMC), in consultation with President John Dramani Mahama, has appointed a new nine-member governing board for the New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers.

The other members are Madam Theresa Owusu Ako, Mr Eric Nyarko-Aboagye, Mr Donald Gwira, Very Rev Helena Amma Serwah Opoku-Sarkodie, Naana Aklerh Amenyah Kubi I, Mr Kojo Tito Voegborlo, Esq, and Dr Timothy S.K. Quashigah.

The Managing Director of the NTC, Dr Isaac Okpoti Nai, is also a member of the board.

The appointments form part of the NMC’s reconstitution of the governing boards of the country’s state-owned media organisations.

A statement issued by the NMC in Accra yesterday and signed by its Acting Executive Secretary, Ms Paula Sanziri, said the appointments were made in accordance with Article 168 of the 1992 Constitution and the National Media Commission Act, 1993 (Act 449).

The Commission also announced new governing boards for the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) and the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

For the GBC, Mr Francis Mills Robertson has been appointed Chairman.

The other board members are Madam Bashiratu Kamal, Dr Ahmed Dawale Mohammed, Dr Jacob Ibrahim Abudu, Madam Hawa Muhammad Awwal, Mr Nathaniel Leslie Lomo-Mainoo, Mr Emmanuel Kumadey and Dr Abena Animwaa Yeboah-Banin.

The Director-General of the GBC, Professor Amin Alhassan, is also a member of the board.

At the GCGL, Professor Samuel Kwaku Hayford is the new Chairman.

The board members are Mr Emmanuel Osei Ofosu, Mr Richard Asamoah-Mensah, Mr Frederic Kofi Rockson, Dr Camynta Baezie, Mr Elvis Aaron Amenyitor, Mr Bernard Owusu and Dr Rufai Kilu Haruna.

The Managing Director of the GCGL, Mr Ato Aful, is also a member.

For the GNA, Dr Kwame Akuffo Anoff-Ntow has been appointed Chairman.

The other members are Madam Mercy Catherine Adjabeng, Mr Francis Dadzie Jnr, Professor Adwoa Sikayena Amankwah, Dr Moshie-Dayan Ahiamenyo, Mr Vance Azu and Mr Alexander Nii Katey Bannerman.

The General Manager of the GNA, Mr Albert Kofi Owusu, is also a member.

The NMC said the appointments formed part of its constitutional mandate to oversee the administration of the state-owned media and help safeguard their role in promoting free, independent and responsible journalism.

The new boards are expected to provide strategic policy direction and strengthen the respective media organisations as they carry out their mandate of informing, educating and entertaining the Ghanaian public.

BY TIMES REPORTER

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The Minority in Parliament has renewed its call for accountability over a reported GH¢22 billion loss under the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme (DGPP) in 2025.

The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, made the call in a statement issued on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, in response to comments by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi.

The Minority said the GoldBod’s response to its earlier concerns did not disprove the reported loss but instead confirmed some of the figures it had raised.

According to Mr Afenyo-Markin, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported a loss of US$1.7 billion, equivalent to about GH¢22 billion, under the DGPP in its August 2026 Sixth Country Report.

He argued that regardless of which government institution bears responsibility for the loss, the money involved was public funds and must be accounted for.

The Minority also questioned GoldBod’s reported operational surplus of GH¢907 million.

It noted that, according to the GoldBod CEO, the institution accounted for about GH¢133 billion in advances under the programme in 2025 and received an assay fee of 0.258 per cent and a service fee of 0.5 per cent.

Mr Afenyo-Markin argued that these fees generated about GH¢1 billion for GoldBod.

He therefore questioned how the institution could describe its GH¢907 million operational surplus as a major achievement when the programme under which the fees were earned reportedly resulted in a GH¢22 billion loss to the state.

The Minority Leader further argued that GoldBod could not claim credit for the benefits of the DGPP while distancing itself from the reported financial losses.

He noted that GoldBod had been associated with claims that the programme contributed to a 41 per cent appreciation of the cedi, an increase in Ghana’s reserves from US$8.9 billion to US$13 billion and a reduction in inflation.

According to him, an institution that takes credit for such outcomes must also be prepared to account for the costs associated with the programme.

The Minority also raised concerns about the funding arrangements for the Gold for Reserves and related programmes.

It said, based on the GoldBod CEO’s account, responsibility for the implementation cost of the Ghana Alternative Reserves and Assets Programme (GANRAP) shifted from the Bank of Ghana to the Ministry of Finance in July 2026, while GoldBod was seeking to raise funds independently from August.

Mr Afenyo-Markin described the changes as evidence that the funding model was yet to be settled.

He therefore called for the reported GH¢22 billion loss to be properly accounted for, insisting that the matter concerned the finances of the Republic.

The Minority Leader also criticised comments attributed to the GoldBod CEO during his response, particularly a reference to a brothel.

He argued that such language was inappropriate for a public official responding to questions about the management of public funds.

“Ghanaians asked for figures. They were given insults. The figures are still outstanding,” Mr Afenyo-Markin stated.

The Minority said it would continue to demand answers on the financial and operational performance of GoldBod and the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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