Finance Committee Chairman Isaac Adongo defended the passage of the law that established the Gold Board of Ghana (GoldBod) on Joy News’ PM Express Business Edition, saying Parliament needed to act to allow the institution to begin its work.
Adongo clarified that opposition members did not reject the bill in principle; their reservations were about specific provisions. “The passage of the bill that led to the establishment of the gold board, for instance, from a political perspective, our colleagues do not disagree in principle, but their side of the divide was not comfortable with certain provisions,” he said.
He added that the law could be reviewed if lapses emerge, and that implementation could expose weaknesses requiring parliamentary attention. “Of course, over time, there will be some lapses that can be identified, and a review is possible at any point in time,” he said.
Adongo noted that the committee’s work involves scrutiny across party lines and that the chairman cannot impose decisions on members. He cited former Finance Minister and Ranking Member Dr Amin Adam, Deputy Ranking Member Dr Stephen Amoah, and Dr Gideon Boako as part of that bipartisan scrutiny.
He expected opposition members to support a review if the executive returned to Parliament seeking changes to clauses that could have been handled differently. For GoldBod, he said the passage was necessary despite reservations, with any subsequent review giving Parliament another opportunity to examine provisions found wanting.
Moving forward, Adongo said Parliament will keep the possibility of changes open, and that the law’s passage was a necessary step toward the Gold Board’s monumental impact.
