Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has accused the Majority in Parliament of Ghana of deliberately sidelining the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority, alleging that issues raised by the caucus on the floor of the House are being ignored.
According to him, several motions filed by the Minority have remained unattended to for months despite repeatedly appearing on the Order Paper.
Addressing the media on 11 March, Mr Afenyo-Markin argued that the conduct of the Majority reflects a troubling pattern in which numerical advantage is used to limit the Minority’s ability to effectively perform its parliamentary duties.
“This posture of the Majority, in my respectful view, is illustrative of a broader trend where numerical dominance can sometimes translate into disproportionate control over institutional representation,” he said.
“When agreed formulas for representation are set aside, the Minority loses the ability to effectively contribute, scrutinise, and present alternative perspectives in key national forums.”
The Effutu MP emphasised that Parliament’s core mandate includes providing members the opportunity to raise matters of public importance and hold the Executive accountable.
“One of the critical functions of Parliament is to allow members to raise matters of public importance, question government actions, make decisions, and hold the administration accountable through motions,” he stated.
However, he said the Minority has faced persistent challenges in getting its motions debated in the House.
“Yet, in practice, some of the Minority’s motions, though formally advertised, have still not been taken up for debate in the House,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin cited a motion concerning what he described as the mass dismissal of workers recruited into state institutions during the previous administration.
According to him, the issue arose following a directive reportedly issued by the Office of the Chief of Staff after the New Patriotic Party left office.
“There was a letter from the Chief of Staff directing that recruitment that took place after the election should be terminated,” he said. “However, state agencies went back to 2017–2018. People who had been employed in state-owned institutions, not just the civil service, since 2018 were sacked.”
He explained that although the motion was eventually admitted in Parliament, debate on it has stalled for months.
“The first challenge was a preliminary objection by the Majority Leader. When we filed an appeal, the motion was allowed, but the debate is still in abeyance,” he said.
“The motion was moved, seconded, and one contributor has been taken. It has now been eight months. Despite appearing on the Order Paper repeatedly, we are unable to take it. Why?”
Mr Afenyo-Markin also raised concerns about the composition of parliamentary delegations to international legislative bodies, claiming that an agreed formula for representation has not been respected.
He explained that during the first session of the Ninth Parliament, a committee established under Article 103 of the Constitution and Order 204 of the Standing Orders determined the formula for representation on committees and parliamentary delegations.
“After thorough deliberations and consensus, the House adopted a 68 to 32 ratio. This ratio was intended to apply consistently to all committees, ensuring that both sides of the House had meaningful participation and a voice in parliamentary decision-making,” he said.
However, he alleged that the arrangement was not applied when forming delegations to the Pan-African Parliament and the ECOWAS Parliament.
“When it came to the composition of parliamentary delegations to the Pan-African Parliament, this agreed formula was not applied. The Minority was robbed of its bona fide seats,” he said. “Instead of having two, strangely, we were denied one and were told to take observer status.”
He added that a similar situation occurred regarding Ghana’s representation in the ECOWAS Parliament.
“When it came to the ECOWAS Parliament, though the formula was agreed, the Majority suddenly filed a motion without notice, amending the Minority’s proposal, which had been agreed at the Committee on Selection,” he said.
According to him, the resulting impasse has affected the Minority’s participation in several parliamentary delegations.
“The consequences have been unfortunate. As we speak, on all delegations, the Minority has been denied because we have insisted on our rights. I pray that we are able to resolve this matter,” he said.
