Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Rasheed Dramani, has urged Parliament to take allegations involving its members seriously.
He warned that its failure to properly investigate such claims could deepen public mistrust of the institution.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, Dr Dramani said that his concern, when the latest controversy emerged, was not simply about Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
He said the focus should be on the office he occupies and its importance to parliamentary accountability, particularly under a supermajority government.
“I was very worried not about Afenyo-Markin, but as Inusah Fuseini said, about that office, particularly at a time when we have a supermajority parliament,” he said.
Dr Dramani stressed the need for political leaders to uphold high ethical standards.
“We need leaders with integrity. We need a minority with a very high level of integrity to be able to hold this supermajority and the executive accountable.”
His comments come amid the controversy triggered by GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi’s allegation that Mr Afenyo-Markin was an “extortionist.”
Mr Gyamfi’s remarks sparked a strong response from the Minority Leader, who rejected the allegation and threatened legal action.
The dispute has since escalated into a legal confrontation, while the Office of the Special Prosecutor is conducting a preliminary assessment of related allegations to determine whether to open a full-scale investigation.
Dr Dramani said the latest controversy must also be viewed against a history of allegations involving Parliament that have not always resulted in clear resolutions.
He identified partisan solidarity as one of the factors contributing to public mistrust.
“I think the first one is that over the years we have seen in our parliament that partisan solidarity overrides accountability.”
He said caucuses sometimes rally behind accused MPs without first confronting the substance of the allegations.
“So you accuse one person, then an entire caucus begins to rally around that person without even asking the critical question.”
Dr Dramani also questioned whether Parliament applies the same scrutiny to itself that it applies to the Executive.
“Parliament is better at scrutinising the executive than having the moral authority to scrutinise itself,” he said.
He cited the Public Accounts Committee as an example, noting that in 2024 it held about 31 public hearings and made more than 1,000 recommendations for recovery of resources.
His question was whether Parliament applies the same standard when allegations concern its own members.
He said the political cost of investigating fellow MPs also creates another challenge.
“The political cost of, you know, investigating themselves, their own, is usually very high, and they want to rather keep quiet because over the years they build relationships; current MPs are future ministers, and all the kind of networks and so on.”
According to Dr Dramani, Parliament must establish a clear process that takes allegations from investigation to resolution.
“What Parliament hasn’t done for itself over the years is that we haven’t seen a clear path of allegation to resolution.”
He therefore welcomed Mr Afenyo-Markin’s decision to go to court and called for a broader approach if Parliament sets up an ad hoc committee.
“I am hoping, Evans, that maybe for the first time we would have a committee that is made up not only of MPs.”
He proposed a committee comprising MPs and eminent Ghanaians if Parliament does not invite an external investigative body.
“Maybe a committee of Parliament that is made up of MPs and some eminent Ghanaians, so that for the first time, and in the interest of Parliament itself, in order to improve its image in the eyes of the public, that this matter is dealt with.”
He said the process must produce a definitive outcome.
“So that we see a clear path from this allegation to a clear resolution, and if there are sanctions, let them be applied; if there are exonerations, let those happen.”
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