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The third Deputy Speaker of the Community Parliament and Minority Leader in Ghana’s 9th Parliament Alexander Kwamena-Afenyo Markin has lauded his former colleague at the Community Parliament and Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga for his special skills in conflict resolution.

The former first rapporteur on the Committee of Political Affairs, Peace, Security and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), and the current Majority Leader in Ghana’s Parliament, Mahama Ayariga promised to investigate the raiding of the private residence of the former Finance Minister when a statement was made on the floor of the House to condemn the act.

The Leader of Government Business promised the House to cross check and get back to the House, on Thursday, February 13, 2025 and true to his words came back and apologized for the unlawful entry into the private residence of the former Finance Minister.

“On behalf of the President John Mahama who believes in upholding the rights and liberty of individual Ghanaians, I believe the act was unfortunate”, he state.

The Minority Leader, Afenyo-Markin in response assured the Majority Leader that their side will engage them constructively to do politics in a very descent way. “Let us respect each other and use words that are complementary to each other. I am an NPP, proudly so; you are NDC, proudly so; we should not use this platform to denigrate each other, sometimes the way we go after our leaders, the little said about it the better”.

He cautioned his colleagues to be mindful of the kind of politics they do, stating that if one checks the 2024 election results, “the percentage turn out in the Central Region, we did not go beyond 60, same in the Volta region; around the same percentage in Ashanti, Upper East and Western, then almighty Greater Accra where all the mighty politics is done find out the percentage turn out”.

He said what this means is that “a percentage of our population is getting fed up with us with the political class, because of our conduct”, he stressed.

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Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta is traumatized with the adjective used on him as “fugitive” but still knows God is with him, Minority Leader Kwamena Afenyo-Markin revealed on the floor of the House on Thursday, February 13, 2025.

Afenyo-Markin contributing on the development thanked the Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga for investigating issues surrounding the raiding of the private residence of the former Finance Ministers.

According to him he has had extensive conversations with Ken Ofori Atta who is undergoing a medical procedure outside the jurisdiction.

Again, he noted that he had an engagement with the current Chief of Staff who confirmed that the former Finance Minister wrote to him and was truthful about it and added that Ken will return back to Ghana within a reasonable time.

He said he will engage the Office of the Special Prosecutor and assure him if there was any miscommunication that the man will make himself available, and clarified that he left the country with permission; and if there is anything to be investigated, he will make himself available.

President John Mahama’s assurance given through the Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga to uphold the liberty of Ghanaians, the Minority thanked him and they will accord him all the necessary courtesies and we will cooperate and oppose when we have to oppose. Our duty is to oppose you, we can work together to represent our people for them to learn from us, he assured.

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Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has commended the current Attorney General and Minister of Justice Dominic Akuritinga Ayine for preventing a political witch-hunt on him when he was then Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

Commenting on the recent raiding of the private residence of the former Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta, Afenyo-Markin recounting that in 2015 as a legal practitioner when he was in the Minority, the then AG was urged to prosecute him on some tax offenses because he was making too much noise but Dominic Ayine stood his grounds.

“He did not tell me but I was told by someone, I have respected him and taken a picture with him at my office and I celebrate him; we have maintained friendship since then”, he said on the floor of the House.

That moment when he said, political opponents should not be targeted; he has done demonstrating sincerity. “We are a political class that is the path we have chosen, we are not to cover crime but we have to protect each other for the good of democracy”.

“Ghanaians have told us something; if they are feed up with you, there is nothing that can be done. In 2000 election after former President John Kufour worn, some of us as student leaders were of the opinion that NDC will never come to power because it was devastating. But Within years, Ghanaians were fed-up with us, we have to eat our humble pie”, he added.

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Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga has told Parliament that the unlawful entering of the private residence of the former Minister of Finance Ken Ofori Atta is regrettable and has gotten assurance from the National Security Coordinator that it will not be repeated.

This follows a statement made by the deputy Minority whip Habib Iddrisu on the floor of the House on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, and the Majority Leader promised to carry out some investigation and brief the House when various commentaries were made on the floor of the House.

“I am making these remarks on behalf of the President John Dramani Mahama who said he will reset Ghana which means everybody should act in compliance with the law and the mandate of the state institutions”.

He stated that it is true that the private residence of Ken Ofori Atta was raided by the operatives of the National Security and police led by someone who works at the National Security Coordinator’s office, Mr. Gyakpa. And added that they have investigated the matter and assured Ghanaians and Parliamentarians that they have received assurance of the National Security Coordinator that it was not their intention for that to happen; adding, “that occurrence is most regrettable and unfortunate” and giving his word to the House that a thing like that will not happen again.

Again, we have a constitution to uphold; it has in it embedded fundamental human rights and right to privacy and President John Mahama remained committed to ensure that the right and liberty of every individual is respected.

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The Minority has expressed worry over state sponsored intimidation, selective justice and political witch hunt of former government officials under former President Nana Akufo-Addo as Tuesday, February 11, 2025, army military officials, police officers and plain clothed security operatives without warrant or justification stormed the private residence of Ken Ofori-Atta former Finance Minister.

Deputy Minority Leader Patricia Appiagyei at a press conference on Thursday, February 13, 2025, noted that the Government was officially informed of the former Finance Minister seeking medical attention outside the country stating that both the former and current chiefs of staff were notified.

Similarly, the former director of operations at the Jubilee House, Lord Commey’s residence was raided to unlawfully seize vehicles as well as the former Minister of Defense, Dominic Nitiwul’s residence.

She accused the very leaders who cried foul over what they claimed to be military intimidation while in opposition are now wielding state power in an even more reckless tyrannical manner.

Madam Patricia Appiagyie further revealed that Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh was invited by the National Intelligence Bureau for questioning over comments he made concerning the disputed Ablekuma North parliamentary election results as his call for NPP supporters to protect their own was deemed inciteful.

“We will not remain silent while political persecution takes root in Ghana, as Ghana belongs to all of us and no administration has the right to weaponize state institutions against political opponents. And we demand an immediate transparent and independent investigation into these political motivated attacks”.

“No democracy can survive when its institutions become weapons for political vengeance, as if no citizen matter and due process is replaced with brute force”.

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The Ashanti Region Minority caucus in Ghana’s Parliament is demanding the arrest of perpetrators of violence at the just ended council of state election in the region.

Addressing the media in parliament at a press conference chairman of the caucus Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong noted that individuals behind this shameful act, including Zuba, must be arrested immediately and made to face the full rigors of the law, as Ghana is governed by laws, not thuggery and they demand justice, and demand it now.

They further demand a swift resumption of the Electoral Process, stating that the Electoral Commission (EC) must ensure that this election is concluded transparently so that the true choice of the people prevails.
“We will not allow intimidation to dictate election results in the Ashanti Region and call for total rejection of Zuba for Any Appointment in the Ashanti Region.

A man who orchestrates violence and disregards the rule of law has no place in leadership. His appointment to any position in the Ashanti Region would be a grave disservice to the people.”
They urged the President and all responsible authorities to reconsider and reject any attempt to offer Zuba any role in the region. Kumasi and the entire Ashanti Region deserve better.

The Minority also stated that the Ashanti Region has always been the stronghold of democracy and good governance in Ghana. “We will not allow the reckless and lawless behavior of a few individuals to tarnish our democratic credentials”.

They sent a clear and strong message to the Mahama administration saying: Ashanti Region will not bow to intimidation as the people of Ghana will resist any attempt to erode democracy through violent and lawless means.

They further added that at the time of this shocking attack, Nana Nkansah Boadu had secured 49 out of 86 votes, putting him in a commanding lead but realizing that their preferred candidate was losing Mr. Zuba and his thugs violently intervened, halting the democratic process and plunging the election into chaos.

“We will not sit idly, while the will of the people is subverted through violence and intimidation”, they added.

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The President John Dramani Mahama is expected to give his first Message of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by the end of this month the Rt. Hon Speaker Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin revealed on the floor of the House on Wednesday, 11 February 2025.

This is a constitutional requirement under the 1992 Republican Constitution that the president delivers a message of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in fulfillment of Article 67 of the constitution which states, “the president shall at the beginning of each session of the parliament and before the dissolution of Parliament deliver to Parliament the Message of the State of the Nation Address”.

The Speaker further added that there is the urgent need to put in place the various Committees as the finance Minister Dr. Ato Forson is expected to present the 2025 budget in first week of March 2025.

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The Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Sumana Bagbin has revealed that in the first Parliament of the fourth Republic of Ghana, he proposed that sitting of the House should be in the afternoon to get the public involved but because he was an active practicing lawyer, it was misconstrued as making the proposal to favour him.

The first meeting of the first session of the ninth Parliament has already suffered two early adjournments due to lack of quorum of 91 members to transact business and the Speaker was forced to remind the House of his early proposal at the beginning of the fourth republican parliament.

The meeting of Wednesday,12 February 2025 has to be pushed to the afternoon for the Committee on Selection to meet and compose various Committees, as the Minority Chief Whip Frank Annor-Dompreh has led a crusade demanding its formation for serious business and oversight work of the House to start.

“Members have a lot of things to do more especially when you have a lot of pressure from your constituents. We have to attend to them almost every morning, we have to go round looking for jobs for them, and so the morning is always crowded. The fuel you are giving is not sufficient, you have to do more to buy fuel which is a tall order”.

This would not be the first time since the eighth parliament at a point moved all its proceedings to the afternoon.
According to the Speaker, it would be prudent if the House agrees to sit in the afternoon to allow MPs attend to other things in the morning.

“Why not agree for us to sit in the afternoon and even up to eight pm; we can then get the public participating at the gallery and see senior citizens relaxing and watching you on their TV because we are doing live broadcast, it will assist me to manage you”, the Speaker stated.

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The Ad-Hoc Committee set up by the Rt. Hon Speaker Alban Sumana Bagbin, to investigate what led to the chaos at the vetting of Ministers is set to present its report to the House on Thursday, February 13, 2025.

Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin had written to the Speaker expressing concern over alleged bias by the Chairman of the Committee, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah towards Minority members on the Committee; a development that led to the Minority boycotting the public hearing of the Committee.

Ghanamps.com investigation can attest that that the Committee has asked for two days extension to present its report as the ten days given them was not enough; and they needed the extra days to conclude with putting together their report.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Immediate past Chairman of the Roads and Transport Committee, Kennedy Osei-Nyarko has taken a swipe at the Ministry of Roads and Highways for issuing a statement over the weekend suspending an Act of Parliament, the National Roads Authority 2024 Act 1118 that seeks to manage Ghana’s road infrastructure by merging the Ghana Highways Authority, Department of Urban Roads and Feeder Roads.

According to him, he is more shocked and down founded that the sector Minister Governs Kwame Agbodza who took former President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government to the cleaners for abolishing road tolls and made a lot of noise today in charge of the Roads sector is doing otherwise.

In an interview, he pointed out that if the Executive arm has an issue, they know the procedure; and what to do is to come to Parliament with an amendment of the portion they feel there is an issue with.

“I have picked information that the National Labour Commission, wrote to the Ministry to suspend the implementation, “Does an independent body have such powers? NLC is a creation by an Act passed by Parliament; if they think some workers are going to be affected they have two avenues to use; is either the affected workers should petition Parliament or they go to court to seek a review”.

He further advised the sector Minister to move cautiously stating that he is starting on a bad note and should withdraw the press release and apologize to Parliament and the people of Ghana for taking a decision he does not have power to take.

Mr Kennedy Osei-Nyarko further explained that the Act was to deal with some mischief, some challenges which have bedeviled the road sector for a very long time. “If you look at the Roads and Highways Ministry, there are about three key agencies – highways authority, urban roads, and feeder roads. They cannot be doing the same work, hence the need to merge them”.

We do not have enough resources to do everything; and because of resources constraints, we want to utilize the little resources we have. When you have a sector that duplicates the role of the other agencies, it delays projects and leads to insufficient maintenance on our road network.

So in the wisdom of the past government, they thought it wise they should come under one Authority which will deal with all these and it’s a very good thing having one Authority to manage all these three agencies, he added.

According to him, the idea behind passing this law was to know work schedules, adding that there was extensive consultation; “we spent a lot of resources, time and everything to pass this Act only for the new government led by its Minister to issue a press statement that it has suspended the implementation of an Act of Parliament.

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