as Foot Soldiers Cry Foul Over Women of Valour Backlash
By Gifty Boateng
The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi, has quietly instituted a weekly engagement session at the party’s headquarters in Adabraka, a move widely interpreted as a damage-control exercise following weeks of mounting grassroots agitation
Starting Friday, March 13, 2026, at 2pm, Gyamfi will make himself available at his designated office at the party headquarters to listen to and engage with party members seeking audience with him.
A brief statement issued under the signature of his Personal Assistant, Annan Perry, indicated that Fridays when the National Communications Officer will be unavailable will be duly communicated
The development comes against a backdrop of simmering tension within the ruling party’s base, triggered by allegations that GoldBod Jewelry, a subsidiary of the state-owned gold aggregation giant, had sponsored Nana Aba Anamoah’s Women of Valour event held in London.
The backlash exposed deeper fault lines within the party’s relationship with its own foot soldiers, who feel increasingly sidelined in the distribution of patronage and recognition.
The storm began when images circulated online showing GoldBod Jewellery listed among partners of the Women of Valour event, held at the London Hilton on Park Lane on March 7, 2026 . Founded by renowned broadcaster Nana Aba Anamoah, the event brought together women from diverse backgrounds to network and celebrate International Women’s Day .
For many NDC foot soldiers, the optics were unacceptable. Nana Aba Anamoah had been perceived as hostile to President John Dramani Mahama during his years in opposition, and her event’s association with a state-owned enterprise was seen as a betrayal of those who had fought to bring the party to power .
GoldBod Jewellery moved swiftly to contain the damage. In a statement issued on March 8, the company clarified that it did not provide financial sponsorship for the event .
“GoldBod Jewellery Limited is listed as one of the partners of this year’s Women of Valour event because the company offered discounts on jewellery purchases to participants of the programme as part of our ongoing Ghana Heritage Month promotions,” the statement explained .
The company emphasised that it did not contribute funds toward the organisation of the event .
Multiple sources confirmed to The New Republic that Sammy Gyamfi had absolutely no role in the event, neither in the conception nor the execution of the partnership.
Industry observers noted that the participation formed part of broader efforts to market Ghana’s refined gold and locally manufactured jewellery to global audiences, particularly within premium diaspora and luxury markets such as London .
The strategy reflects a growing emphasis on value addition in Ghana’s gold sector, shifting the narrative from the export of raw gold to the promotion of finished Ghanaian jewellery products with higher international market value .
Yet for the grassroots, facts have become secondary to feelings. Despite the clarification, many party members rejected the assertion and directed their anger at GoldBod Managing Director Emefa Donkor, with some extending the attacks to Gyamfi, whose handlers maintain was not involved.
Further fuelling the controversy was the role of GHone TV’s Serwaa Amihere, who served as MC for the night. Before commencing the well-attended programme, Amihere acknowledged the headline sponsor, the ECOWAS Bank for Investments and Development (EBID), and listed main sponsors including Travel Wings and GoldBod Jewelry.
For watching party faithful, the public acknowledgment from a platform featuring personalities perceived as opposition-aligned was a bridge too far.
The GoldBod controversy, however, is merely a symptom of a deeper malady afflicting the relationship between the NDC’s appointed officials and its grassroots army. The anger, The New Republic gathered, stems from the founder of Women of Valour’s perceived hostility against the NDC and President Mahama during the party’s years in opposition.
Central Regional Communications Officer of the party, Gabriella Tetteh, emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the current dispensation. In a social media post that has since gone viral, Tetteh, younger sister of former Foreign Affairs Minister Hannah Tetteh, issued a stern warning to the party’s leadership.
“The next congress should consider a new resolution for all aspiring flagbearers to provide us with a formula for their appointments,” she wrote. “% party, % members, % friends & family, % general public and % other political parties so we adjust how much off our time, energy and resources we give their dreams. By the way, don’t come under this post to pontificate. We’ve already been tagged demons so no need for the preaching”.
Her comments laid bare the frustration coursing through the party’s rank and file. Zakaria Abdul Khaliq shared his view, saying, “All but a few of our appointees see sitting with Nana Aba and her gang as an achievement. They will be smiling sheepishly as though they have made it- Twea kai”.
Frank Opare Sarpong questioned, “Why are we doing this to ourselves? Party members are seeking for opportunities but we give the opportunities to non-party members”].
Not everyone shares the foot soldiers’ perspective. Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A Plus, has urged the Ghana Gold Board to pursue even more aggressive international marketing strategies, including sponsoring global platforms such as the FIFA World Cup .
“For decades, Ghana has exported raw materials while other countries process them, add value, and make the real money,” he wrote in a Facebook post . “Our gold is exported and returns as finished jewellery sold at prices many times higher.”
A Plus argued that initiatives such as GoldBod Jewellery’s partnership with Women of Valour should be seen as part of a broader strategy to market Ghanaian gold products internationally.
However, he expressed disappointment in what he perceived as Sammy Gyamfi’s retreat from the decision in the face of backlash . “My brother, leadership requires courage. When you make a good decision, not everyone will agree with you but you must stand by it regardless,” he added .
Despite the controversy, the Women of Valour event itself proceeded with significant official representation. Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK, Sabah Zita Benson, graced the occasion, alongside Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, Obuobia Darko Opoku, who has spoken on the platform for three out of its four years .
The fourth edition, themed “The Pursuit of Fearlessness,” brought together over 600 women achievers from Ghana, Nigeria, the United States, and the United Kingdom .
Nana Aba Anamoah, for her part, has remained defiant in the face of criticism. When a follower suggested that foot soldiers should tone down their attacks, she responded on X: “I’m their favourite person to hate. They should continue. It gives me energy”.
As Sammy Gyamfi prepares to open his office to foot soldiers every Friday, the question remains whether these engagements will heal the growing rift or merely provide a pressure valve for pent-up frustrations.
The GoldBod controversy has exposed a fundamental tension between the NDC government’s commercial diplomacy objectives and its base’s expectations of preferential treatment.
Gyamfi, who navigates dual roles as party communicator and CEO of a strategic state enterprise, now finds himself at the intersection of these competing demands.
His Friday court at the party headquarters will test whether dialogue can bridge the gap between the government’s global ambitions and the grassroots’ hunger for recognition.
For now, the foot soldiers watch and wait. And as Gabriella Tetteh’s call for an appointment formula suggests, they are already thinking about the next election and what they will demand from those who seek their support.