Minority Appeals to Majority for 'Freedom of Expression' as Parliament Reconvenes
- The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has urged the Majority to allow more participation in Parliament
- He said the Minority's motions are often denied, limiting their role in national debates
- Afenyo-Markin also slammed the government’s “incoherent” approach to social interventions and taxation
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The Minority in Parliament has appealed to the Majority to provide more opportunities for them to speak on the floor of the House.
Speaking at a joint press conference held by the leadership of Parliament, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin highlighted the need for greater inclusivity in parliamentary processes.
Source: Facebook
“We hold the view that in this meeting, the Majority should be more accommodating; they must hear us. They must allow the Minority to do more advocacy. We expect the Speaker to admit more and more of our motions,” the Minority Leader was quoted to have said in a Citinewsroom report.
He said the Minority faced several frustrations, limiting their ability to contribute to debates in Parliament limited, with their motions frequently denied.
“We think that the essence of parliamentary politics is to give every party stakeholder the opportunity. We look forward to much more engagement on the floor,” he added.
Afenyo-Markin made these remarks during a leadership media briefing ahead of Parliament’s resumption on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
Minority questions government's approach to social intervention
Meanwhile, the Minority has criticised the government’s handling of social interventions and taxation.
According to the Minority Leader, the approach is “incoherent” and raises concerns about policy consistency.
He added that many government programmes were already struggling by the end of 2025, stating that there is a need for a coherent economic and social policy framework.
Despite previous criticisms of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) while in opposition, Afenyo-Markin argued there is little evidence of significant change a year into the current administration led by President John Dramani Mahama.
“Apart from the GoldBod, which has helped stabilise the cedi, other sectors like agriculture have seen no major improvement. Even flagship programmes such as the 24-Hour Economy have yet to show substantial results,” he said.
The Minority Leader further urged the government to introduce a comprehensive policy direction on taxation and economic growth to deliver tangible benefits across key sectors.
“By the end of 2025, certain programmes were struggling, and while the NDC has condemned some of our government’s stance in the past, nearly a year in office, we have not seen a major shift in governance,” he added.
Source: Facebook
NDC reacts to Bawumia's flagbearer win
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Mustapha Gbande, had claimed that the NPP will replace Bawumia as flagbearer after its 2027 congress.
He questioned why the NPP elected a flagbearer before party executives, arguing the NPP failed the Ashanti Region and mismanaged Ghana’s cocoa sector.
Gbande also criticised the NPP for allegedly neglecting its grassroots and political stronghold, the Ashanti Region, during its time in power from 2017 to 2025.
Source: YEN.com.gh
