BY VALENTIA TETTEH
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused the Mahama administration of undermining Ghana’s democratic institutions through what it describes as executive incompetence, majoritarian dominance in Parliament and selective application of justice.
Delivering his closing remarks as Parliament adjourned sine die on Friday, July 31, 2026, Minority Leader Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin said the Minority would continue to hold the government accountable despite mounting political pressure.
Quoting former United States President Theodore Roosevelt’s famous “Man in the Arena” speech, Mr. Afenyo-Markin urged Minority Members to remain steadfast in scrutinising government actions.
“We will be criticised, called names and accused of opposing everything, but we must not retreat from our duty. We must continue to fight, scrutinise and hold this government’s feet to the fire because we were elected to defend the public interest.”
He argued that Parliament must remain a place where public interest takes precedence over partisan considerations.
The Minority Leader claimed that Ghana’s democracy was facing serious challenges, alleging that actions by the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary were gradually weakening public confidence in state institutions.
“Our Republic, under this NDC administration, is not at all in safe hands. We see already incompetence at play, majority tyranny in this House and a timid or malleable judiciary together suffocating the faith of our citizens in democracy.”
Mr. Afenyo-Markin accused the government of failing to account for several national tragedies, including the June floods, the military helicopter crash and fatalities recorded during a Ghana Armed Forces recruitment exercise.
According to him, no public official has accepted responsibility for the incidents.
“This House cannot allow this silence to stand. We insist that both the helicopter crash and the deaths of those young women at the recruitment exercise be subjected to full parliamentary investigation.”
Touching on the economy, he questioned figures contained in the 2026 Mid-Year Budget Review, saying inconsistencies in government data undermine public confidence.
“A budget is not just arithmetic. It is a promise. When the numbers inside a promise cannot agree with each other, the promise itself starts to look like fiction.”
The Minority Leader also criticised the government for what he described as unfulfilled campaign promises, including the implementation of the 24-hour economy, the Women’s Development Bank and employment opportunities for trained teachers and nurses.
He maintained that the Minority would continue to provide oversight when Parliament reconvenes.
“We did not do it because it was easy. We did it because Ghana is watching, and history is watching.”
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