News:
May 22, 2026
Ghana’s Minorityin Parliament has launched a sharp critique of the government’s handling of political dissent, describing the arrest of citizens for political speech as an “assault on democracy.”
Speaking in Parliament on the state of the nation, the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyea outlined a sweeping list of demands for the current meeting of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic, including the immediate release of all individuals detained for exercising their right to free expression.
“All persons detained for exercising their right to free speech must be released immediately,” Afenyo-Markin declared, placing that demand at the top of 87 specific requests from the Minority caucus.
The statement comes as tensions rise over what the Minority describes as a creeping politicisation of state institutions, a trend Afenyo-Markin warned the House must “actively resist.”
Beyond the free speech issue, the Minority Leader pressed for urgent action on multiple fronts:
- The Energy Minister must appear before Parliament with a credible plan to address the nation’s recurring power outages, or dumsor.
- A joint hearing of the Finance and Economy Committees with the Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
- A full parliamentary probe into the Damang Mine transaction, including bid documents and beneficial ownership declarations.
- An investigation into the country’s failed Athletics Championships performance, and a written World Cup preparedness plan by month’s end.
The Deputy Minority Leader also demanded that the Foreign Affairs Minister brief Parliament on Ghana’s African Union coalition strategy ahead of June 24, present a reintegration plan for returning Ghanaians, account for the massacre of Ghanaian tomato traders in Burkina Faso, and update the House on Ghanaians caught in the Gulf crisis.
The Minority further called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to enforce “real and visible discipline” over what Afenyo-Markin termed the “succession campaign consuming his government.”
Other outstanding matters flagged by the Minority Leader include the delayed report on the Akosombo fire and the suspension of the GRIDCo CEO, the operations of the Ghana Gold Board, and the acute distress of cocoa, cashew, and rice farmers who “have received words but not action.”
On the international front, Afenyo-Markin stressed the need for intensified diplomatic and legal engagement regarding a detained colleague, warning that Ghana’s reputation must be actively managed.
Parliament is expected to respond to the Minority’s demands in the coming days as the second meeting of the second session gets fully underway.
Ghanamps.com