Minority Leader in Parliament Alexander Afenyo-Markin says he is prepared to withstand the political attacks that come with his position, stressing that he will not be the first Minority Leader to face such pressure.
Speaking on JoyNews’ The Probe, the Effutu MP said he was fully aware of the challenges that came with taking up leadership of the Minority Caucus and remained committed to discharging his mandate.
“Look, I won’t be the first minority leader to suffer attacks,” he stated.
Mr Afenyo-Markin said political pressure and even legal challenges were not unusual for opposition leaders, citing the experience of current Majority Leader and former Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
He noted that Dr Ato Forson faced criminal proceedings while serving as Minority Leader under the previous administration but continued to perform his parliamentary duties.
“In opposition, like I said, was Ato Forson not in court? Was his situation not worse than mine? Do you get what I mean?”
He further recalled that opposition leaders in other jurisdictions had faced even more severe consequences while performing their roles.
“And I said, oh, sir, in other jurisdictions, minority leaders have been arrested. They are in jail. In other jurisdictions, minority leaders are made to report to investigative agencies all the time.”
Mr Afenyo-Markin’s comments follow a public dispute with Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi, who has accused him of making false claims about GoldBod and its operations.
The Minority Leader had earlier threatened to pursue legal remedies over what he described as defamatory allegations against him, including comments portraying him as an “extortionist.”
However, when asked whether he would take Mr Gyamfi to court, Mr Afenyo-Markin adopted a more measured position, saying he would not allow emotions to dictate his response.
“I have made certain statements. I would rely on them without more. Don’t rush. In the Bible, Jesus was accused of wild allegations. He kept quiet and watched them. He could have done anything.”
He said Ghanaians expected maturity from him as Minority Leader and that he would not allow personal attacks to distract him from his responsibilities.
“So if I would be carried away with emotions, I would fail. It’s not an emotional game. It’s not a game that somebody attacks you, you should also react. No, you won’t get it,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin maintained that the Minority would remain focused on its concerns over the Bank of Ghana’s Domestic Gold Purchase Programme and reported losses associated with the programme.
“We want to focus. We promised the people of Ghana that we would file a motion; we have filed that motion.”
He described the matter as a national issue rather than a partisan campaign against the government.
“This is an important national issue. It is not a partisan call. It is a patriotic call being made by a vigilant minority; however few our numbers,” he noted.
The Minority Leader said he understood the weight of his position and was prepared to face whatever challenges came with it.
“So, I’m very clear in my mind. The very day I took this job, I knew the weight of it. Everything is on me. I’m ready to live up to the task. I rely on my God, and I thank the party for the support,” he said.
He also called for the planned parliamentary hearing into the GoldBod losses to be broadcast live, saying the public deserved to follow the proceedings.
“But I pray for a live broadcast of the hearing. We expect that once the motion is carried, there will be a full public hearing of these GoldBod losses,” he stated.
Also read:
