Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has accused the Majority in Ghana’s Parliament of deliberately sidelining the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority by failing to allow debate on motions they have filed.
Addressing the media on 11 March, the Effutu MP said several motions submitted by the Minority have remained unattended to for months despite repeatedly appearing on the Order Paper. He argued that the Majority is using its numerical strength to restrict the Minority’s ability to perform its oversight role and present alternative viewpoints on national issues.
Afenyo-Markin noted that Parliament’s core function is to allow members to raise matters of public importance and hold the Executive accountable. However, he said the Minority has faced persistent challenges in getting its motions debated.
He cited a motion concerning the alleged mass dismissal of workers recruited into state institutions during the previous administration, which he said followed a directive from the Office of the Chief of Staff after the NPP left office. According to him, although the motion was admitted and partially debated, proceedings have stalled for about eight months.
The Minority Leader also raised concerns about the composition of parliamentary delegations to international legislative bodies. He said a 68–32 representation formula, agreed upon during the first session of the Ninth Parliament to guide committee and delegation appointments, has not been respected.
According to him, the Minority was denied its expected representation on delegations to the Pan-African Parliament and the ECOWAS Parliament, despite prior agreements reached at the Committee on Selection.
Afenyo-Markin warned that the situation undermines fair representation and limits the Minority’s participation in key parliamentary and international forums, adding that he hopes the matter will be resolved through dialogue.