Afenyo-Markin: I’m Ready to Suffer for NPP; My Family Did Same
Afenyo-Markin Urges Government to Show ‘Human Face’ in Accountability Drive
Minority Leader in Parliament, Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has called on the government and the majority in Parliament to exercise fairness and restraint in their approach to accountability and investigations into alleged financial losses. Speaking to Paul Adom Otchere on Good Evening Ghana on Metro TV, Afenyo-Markin said Parliament would thoroughly interrogate issues surrounding the government’s finances, including questions about a reported surplus of more than GH¢4 billion. He said he believed members of the Majority in Parliament had heard his concerns and expressed hope that there would be no “numerical stampeding” when matters came before the House. “We are going to interrogate this, ask questions about the surplus, and ask questions about why, two days to the end of the year, they now have the four-point-something billion cedis.
What has happened to it? How was that used? What were the gains? And we, the Ghanaian people, will come to a fair conclusion. We are committed to that.” Afenyo-Markin also explained his earlier comments concerning financial losses incurred by the state, stressing that he was not accusing any particular individual of committing a crime. According to him, once the state incurs a financial loss as a result of implementing a policy or decision, questions of responsibility and accountability naturally arise. He cited cases involving former government officials who are being investigated over transactions that allegedly resulted in financial losses, saying some had been required to meet what he described as onerous bail conditions. He said his comments were intended as a warning to members of the current government that decisions taken while in office could eventually be subjected to scrutiny.
“You are in government. Bear in mind that you will make mistakes. It’s natural. You are human. In governance, there is no perfection. However hard you try, you will make some mistakes. There will be some decisions. You may mean well, but in the end something may go bad.” Afenyo-Markin said he was merely drawing attention to the possibility that future investigations could result in similar demands for accountability. He, however, stressed that until Parliament had examined the issues and reached a conclusion, it would be unfair for him to accuse or name anyone as having committed a crime. “Until Parliament peruses and comes to a conclusion, it would be unfair for me to call somebody out and say A, B, C. I must be fair. I am demanding fairness from government.”
Calls for a ‘Human Face’ in Law Enforcement
The Minority Leader also criticized what he described as the harsh treatment of some opposition members who have been subjected to investigations. He referred to his own experiences of reporting to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), saying he did not enjoy being required to spend hours there when his presence was also needed in Parliament. He said accountability and enforcement of the law were necessary but should be carried out with a “human face.” “All I’m saying is to give the law and its enforcement a human face so that tomorrow if anybody is also demanding accountability from you, at least you can use it as a reference point that, oh, when you were in office, you used a human face to implement it. ” Afenyo-Markin argued that accountability should not be viewed only as something that happens after a government leaves office. He said civil society organizations and the media would continue to demand accountability even while a government remained in power. According to him, politicians should therefore be mindful of how they treat their opponents because political fortunes can change.
Afenyo-Markin Recalls NPP’s Political Experience
The Minority Leader used Ghana’s political history to caution members of the government against taking their current parliamentary majority for granted. He recalled how political fortunes had shifted between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the years. He pointed to the NDC’s large parliamentary majority in the early years of the Fourth Republic and how the NPP later moved from minority to majority after the 2000 elections. He also recalled the NPP’s parliamentary strength in 2012 and 2016, saying the party had at one point believed its position was secure, only to see its majority reduced significantly after the 2020 elections.
Afenyo-Markin said he experienced the challenges firsthand after becoming Deputy Majority Leader and subsequently Majority Leader. He therefore urged the current Majority not to assume that its numerical strength would remain unchanged. “I am telling them to be measured in how they maltreat us.” He also criticized what he described as personal attacks against him, including the use of social media platforms and media discussions to allegedly insult him. Despite this, he said he would not retaliate because he believed in respecting political opponents and maintaining the principle of brotherhood.
‘We Are Doing Politics’
Afenyo-Markin concluded by stressing that political disagreements should not destroy personal relationships or respect among politicians. He cited a principle that distinctions between people should not cause individuals to forget that they remain brothers and that circumstances can change. He said politicians who are currently in power should remember that they could one day find themselves in opposition. “Today you are in the office. If yesterday I misconducted myself and disrespected my friends in opposition, I wouldn’t have the moral authority to call and say, bro, you are wrong.” He maintained that he had respected his political opponents even while serving as Majority Leader and said his approach to politics was rooted in respect for friendship, brotherhood, and political accord.
“I honored them. I respected them. They know. They can’t say it in public, but they know that Afenyo-Markin respects brotherhood and respects accord. I don’t dishonor friendship. We are doing politics. I’m the minority leader. It’s not an easy task, but I will face it for the party. My stepfather suffered for it, my mother suffered for it, my father suffered for it, and I am suffering for it, and I am ready to suffer for the party.
