Private legal practitioner Austin Kwabena Brako-Powers has called on President John Mahama to reassign Goldbod CEO Sammy Gyamfi, following a controversial incident involving a dollar donation to Evangelist Patricia Asiedu, also known as Agradaa.
In a Facebook post, Mr. Brako-Powers argued that the incident presents a critical opportunity for President Mahama to demonstrate his commitment to fighting corruption.
“If Mahama wants Ghanaians to believe what he has been saying about stamping out corruption and related perceptions in his government, Sammy Gyamfi’s case presents him with a clear test case. Let’s see him in action now,” he wrote.
Sammy Gyamfi came under fire after a video surfaced showing him handing out an undisclosed amount of U.S. dollars to Agradaa at a public event on Saturday, May 10, 2025. The video sparked criticism and raised questions about the source and intent of the funds.
In response to the backlash, Mr. Gyamfi apologized, describing the act as one lacking discretion and claiming it was simply an attempt to reach out to the preacher.
Mr. Brako-Powers acknowledged that there was no proof the money was from state resources but insisted that the optics alone were damaging.
“As a politically exposed person, he should have been aware of the environment he found himself in and not allowed his so-called goodness to sweep him away like a tidal wave. Sammy Gyamfi didn’t exercise good and mature judgment in the entire affair,” he stated.
While maintaining that giving money to Agradaa wasn’t inherently wrong, the lawyer emphasized the dangers of public perception.
“Perception is everything,” he said. “No one can say with certainty that the foreign currency Sammy doled out to Evangelist Mama Pat belonged to the State, but this singular act has provided a fertile ground for people to come up with imaginable and unimaginable ideas and we have started reading some of these ideas on social media and this is not good for Mahama.”
To safeguard the integrity of the administration, Mr. Brako-Powers urged the President to reassign Mr. Gyamfi, rather than dismiss him entirely.
“A clear and loud message now is better than nothing at all. I don’t think Sammy has to be dismissed completely. I will suggest the President reassign him, considering how much work he did when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was in opposition,” he advised.
