Group Withdraws Petition Over Alleged Unlicensed Role in GoldBod Operations

A group calling itself the Concerned Citizens of Ghana has withdrawn a petition it earlier filed with state investigative bodies over the alleged unlawful involvement of an unlicensed individual in the operations of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod).

In a document sighted by GhanaWeb, the group said its decision follows new information it has received regarding the matter.

“We write further to our earlier petition on the above subject. Due to recent information received on the matters raised in our petition, we wish to withdraw the Petition made against Roger Frimpong Kwakye or Goldstrom and any transaction he may have with Bawa-Rock LTD and GoldBod,” the statement said.

The group had initially petitioned the Office of the Attorney-General, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate what it described as the alleged involvement of an unlicensed and investigated individual in key GoldBod activities, warning of potential abuse and financial loss to the state.

In the earlier petition, the group raised concerns about the activities of Roger Frimpong Kwakye, who they claimed was under investigation by the OSP over matters relating to financial loss to the state. They alleged that despite this, he played a central role in GoldBod operations through his company, Goldstrom, which they said was not licensed under the GoldBod framework.

According to the petitioners, the situation potentially breached provisions of the GoldBod Act, which restrict functions such as assaying, smelting, and pricing of gold to certified and licensed entities.

The group had also questioned how an individual allegedly under investigation could meet the “fit-and-proper” standards required to influence or participate in GoldBod operations.

In their initial demands, the Concerned Citizens called for a full investigation into Kwakye’s role, the involvement of Goldstrom, and the legality of related contracts. They also sought the suspension of any unlicensed individuals or entities operating within GoldBod and requested full disclosure of all contracts and due diligence processes used in vendor selection.

However, with the petition now withdrawn, it remains unclear whether the state agencies will continue any independent review of the issues earlier raised.