The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has accused the government of weaponising state institutions to intimidate political opponents, warning that the Minority will not be cowed into silence despite what he described as growing attacks on Ghana’s democracy.
Speaking during proceedings in Parliament, Afenyo-Markin alleged that the government is using its political authority to suppress dissent and intimidate members of the opposition instead of fostering democratic governance and accountability.
According to him, the actions of the current administration stand in sharp contrast to the democratic principles that have long guided Ghana’s Parliament.
Drawing a comparison with the tenure of the current Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford (A.S.K.) Bagbin, when he served as Minority Leader, Afenyo-Markin said Bagbin consistently fought to protect the rights and privileges of the Minority, regardless of political differences.
“Those were the democratic values that strengthened our Parliament,” he said, arguing that the same standards should be upheld by every government, irrespective of which party is in power.
The Minority Leader further alleged that state security agencies, including the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), have been deployed to target opposition figures. He pointed to what he described as the arrest of New Patriotic Party (NPP) activists and other incidents of alleged human rights violations as evidence of an orchestrated campaign to intimidate the opposition.
Afenyo-Markin maintained that such actions undermine Ghana’s democratic credentials and questioned the government’s commitment to protecting fundamental freedoms.
Despite the alleged intimidation, he insisted that the Minority would remain resolute in its constitutional duty to scrutinise government decisions and speak on behalf of Ghanaians.
“We will not be silenced. Our responsibility is to defend the interests of the Ghanaian people and hold the government accountable,” he declared.
He also urged the government to exercise restraint in the use of state power, stressing that governance should be anchored on consultation, consensus, and respect for opposing views rather than the imposition of policies through political dominance.
According to him, Parliament should remain a marketplace of ideas where debate, accountability, and democratic engagement take precedence over intimidation.
The government is yet to issue an official response to the allegations raised by the Minority Leader.
