Afenyo-Markin Rejects Obstruction Claims, Defends Minority’s Role in Parliament

Afenyo- Markin at the Alisa Hotel in Accra through the signing of a peace pact by all five aspirants ahead of the 31st January Presidential Primaries on Jan 22.

Accra, Ghana- Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin rejects claims that the Minority is obstructing Parliament. He says their actions protect taxpayers and ensure accountability in economic governance. At a press briefing on January 26, Afenyo-Markin said scrutiny of government policies, especially tax measures, is not sabotage. The caucus’s position reflects economic realities faced by Ghanaians.

“They speak of accountability, but once claimed an IMF deal was impossible. Now that it yields results, they shift the goalposts,” he said. “It’s easy to call us obstructionists, but our opposition to tax bills is rooted in the reality of the Ghanaian worker. We won’t offer solutions that squeeze people more.”

The Minority Leader also defended the previous administration’s Gold-for-Oil policy, describing it as an initiative that helped stabilize the economy amid fuel supply challenges. “The Gold-for-Oil policy saved this country from a total fuel crisis,” he said. “It was an innovation that stabilized our currency when many predicted doom. Instead of acknowledging this, the current leadership has spent a year trying to find scandals that do not exist.”

Addressing recent tensions and the referral of MPs to the Privileges Committee, Afenyo-Markin called for respect for parliamentary rules. He warned against abusing immunity. “Immunity is not a license for lawlessness,” he said. “We must respect the chair and House rules. Using numbers to bypass procedure threatens democracy more than scrutiny.”

He concluded by outlining the Minority’s focus for 2026, calling it a year of “constructive dissent.”

“Leadership is about building bridges, not burning them,” Afenyo-Markin said. “But we won’t build a bridge back into a debt trap. Our scrutiny protects the public purse, and we’re just getting started.”

The press briefing comes amid ongoing debates in Parliament on economic policy, taxation, and the role of the Minority in developing legislation.

---

Read Also