GoldBod dismisses claims of inflated laptop purchase and sole-sourced renovation contract

The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has strongly denied allegations circulating on social media that it inflated the cost of laptop purchases and sole-sourced an office renovation contract worth GH¢11 million.

In a statement issued by its Media Relations Officer, Prince Kwame Minkah, the Board described the claims as false and misleading, insisting that all procurement processes followed the appropriate legal procedures and received the necessary approvals.

Office Renovation Procurement

Addressing claims that the Board awarded an office renovation contract through sole sourcing to a company linked to Mr. Stan Dogbe, GoldBod explained that the contract was not sole-sourced but procured through restricted tendering.

According to the Board, following its establishment in April 2025, it undertook a major recruitment exercise, adding over 300 new employees and introducing new directorates and departments. This expansion created an urgent need for larger office space.

GoldBod said it subsequently rented the old Bank of Ghana head office building at No. 1 Thorpe Road in Accra, which had previously been described by the central bank as structurally defective and not fit for purpose.

To make the building suitable for use, the Board sought approval from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) on May 26, 2025, to adopt the restricted tendering method for renovation works. The PPA granted approval on June 24, 2025.

Three companies were shortlisted to participate in the tender process, with Correca Ghana Limited emerging as the winning bidder.

“The mischievous claim that the contract was awarded through sole sourcing is completely false,” the statement stressed.

Laptop Procurement

GoldBod also rejected claims that it purchased 15 laptops at an inflated price of GH¢322,500, explaining that the procurement followed due process.

The Board said the laptops—Lenovo ThinkPad T14S Core i7 1355U models with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD—were purchased from GET4LESS Ghana Limited in November 2025.

Due to the urgency of the procurement and the limited availability of the specified laptops at the time, the Board said it sought and obtained approval from the Public Procurement Authority to use the single-source procurement method.

GoldBod noted that the total cost translates to GH¢21,500 per laptop, which it said matches the market price of the device.

“A simple check on the supplier’s website shows that the open market price of the said laptop is GH¢21,505,” the Board stated, adding that the price obtained was competitive when compared with other suppliers.

The Board further disclosed that commitment authorization for the transaction was obtained from the Ministry of Finance, in line with the Public Procurement Act.

Transparency Measures

GoldBod stated that both contracts have been published on its official website in accordance with Section 42(1)(c) of the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140), as part of its commitment to transparency and accountability.

It therefore urged the public to ignore what it described as attempts by “fake news merchants” to spread misinformation about the institution.

“GoldBod holds dear the principles of transparency and accountability and will continue to uphold these tenets by publishing all contracts it enters into,” the statement