Author: Richmond Keelson, Ontario, Canada

No impartial observer of the Ghanaian economy would dismiss its true state as mere lamentations from a wannabe. Yet, that is precisely how the minority in Parliament characterized the President’s remarks on the nation’s deteriorated economy.

They took a similar stance on Ato Forson’s budget statement. But how else should one define or present an economy at its lowest ebb—one that evokes deep sorrow, grief, and, by extension, the consequences of tragic mismanagement? Should such a dire situation be met with celebration, ecstasy, and joy while many grapple with poverty, disease, and squalor?

In what seemed like a well-rehearsed line, Minority Leader Afenyo-Markin led his team of the micro-minority in labeling both President Mahama’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) and Finance Minister, Ato Forson’s budget presentation as mere lamentations—lacking substance and value.

By Afenyo-Markin’s allusion, the two presentations by the President and his minister were a deliberate and calculated attempt at emotional blackmail, emphasizing the shortcomings of the previous administration—perhaps to incite public resentment against the immediate past NPP government and to deflect attention from their own potential inefficiencies.

He went on to state that the “24-Hour Economy” policy, championed by the NDC in the run-up to the 2024 elections, was not mentioned by the finance minister. On the contrary, the minister indicated plans to introduce a 24-Hour Economy Act in Parliament in due course. Given time constraints, Ato Forson could not provide every detail of the Act, especially since he had already announced that the Budget presentation would be an abridged version.

Indeed, implementing such an economic model requires a well-defined and legitimate legal framework, which must be approved by Parliament. The Finance Minister’s reference to the 24-Hour Economy was therefore a clear reassurance to Ghanaians that the government is fully committed to its implementation.

Perhaps Afenyo Markin assumed the Budget was meant solely for him and his “super micro minority” caucus. However, the broader Ghanaian population—the real stakeholders—matters far more than a few attention-seeking individuals.

Lamentation and stating the obvious 

But how is it lamentation to state the obvious? Was Afenyo expecting the President to express joy while presenting evidence of the looting of the national treasury? Or that some 80,000 ghost names were used to siphon millions of Ghana Cedis during the NPP’s eight-year administration? 

Again, should the likely payment of $2 million by Prof. Ameyaw Akumfi into the account of a nonexistent company be considered praiseworthy? Does this mean the Special Prosecutor has no right to investigate potential theft and the plundering of national resources?

So, when such suspected acts of deliberate thievery are exposed to the Ghanaian people, should they be presented with artificial finesse, devoid of any genuine shock or grief—even if the gravity of the situation naturally reflects in the presenter’s facial expressions?

Afenyo Markin is engaging in partisan politics, yet he would do well to adopt a strategy that resonates beyond party lines—one with broad appeal and acceptability, rather than exposing himself to ridicule and public backlash. His own party, the NPP, has had exemplary parliamentary leadership in the past, with figures like J.H. Mensah, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, and Felix Owusu-Agyapong setting high standards in parliamentary discourse.

Perhaps, he should consult the Hansards from their tenure to gain insight. He could even look further back to the 1979 Parliament to study how leadership of his party’s predecessor, the Popular Front Party (PFP), conducted business in the House.

Notable figures like J.H. Mensah, who served as Minority Leader, alongside Kwaku Baah (MP for Nkawkaw) and Jones Ofori-Atta (MP for Begoro), set remarkable benchmarks. More recently, his own immediate predecessor, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, also demonstrated seasoned parliamentary leadership.

Kwaku Baah, for instance, once brought kenkey and fried fish to Parliament to highlight the rising cost of staple foods under the Limann government. While some may call it populism, it was a bold and realistic reflection of the economic hardships facing ordinary Ghanaians at the time.

For deeper lessons, Afenyo-Markin might revisit the 1969 parliamentary system of the Second Republic and draw inspiration from the legislative brilliance of figures like Dr. Obed Asamoah, Kofi Kportufe Agama (who later became Governor of the Bank of Ghana), and the ever-formidable Sam Okudzeto, who all represented K.A. Gbedemah’s National Alliance of Liberals (NAL). Indeed, they embodied the spirit of their party’s slogan: Black and Proud.

These men, despite being in the minority, consistently held Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia’s Progress Party (PP) government accountable, proving that effective opposition is not merely about numbers but about substance, strategy, and genuine commitment to national interest—unlike Afenyo-Markin’s approach, which appears driven by personal ambition and a craving for unnecessary attention.

Afenyo-Markin’s current stance appears less about fulfilling the role of an effective minority leader and more about advancing his political future and playing to the gallery. True leadership in Parliament demands more than just rhetoric—it requires depth, accurate interpretation, historical awareness, and an unwavering commitment to the national interest over self-promotion.