The Minority in Parliament has served notice that it will ferry all issues of social and natural justice to the Legislature when President John Dramani Mahama appears before the House to present his message on the State of the Nation (SONA) on Thursday.
It vowed to bring the pressing social justice concerns to the President during the SONA and more in the House in the coming weeks, signalling a new phase of parliamentary action.
Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin put the president on notice at a news conference immediately after the Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga prevented the NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Akwatia from making a statement in the House on Friday.
Mr. Ayariga opposed the participation of the Akwatia MP, Ernest Yaw Kumi in parliamentary proceedings, citing his contempt conviction by the High Court in Koforidua.
He indicated the majority side will not be part of actions that will undermine the Judiciary and the rule of law, calling for adjournment of the House.
However, Minority Leader Afenyo-Markin argued that no court process had been served on the MP nor Parliament, insisting the lawmaker should be allowed to make his statement.
“Today the NDC is saying that Members of Parliament should respect the courts. These were the people who were insulting judges, using unprintable words just because they disagreed with the Supreme Court ruling in October 2024.
“We are decent democrats. It is the reason why we resorted to lawful process in addressing our dissatisfaction with the conduct of Koforidua High Court Judge.
“As we speak, no court process has been served on Mr Kumi, neither has any process been served on the Speaker of Parliament nor the Clerk to Parliament,” he emphasised.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin added that he as the leader of the Minority caucus, he had not been informed about any court ruling against Mr Kumi.
“I am the leader of our side, and I haven’t been invited to any meeting where I have been told that the process has been served. So I don’t know what the NDC is up to,” he said.
Mr Afenyo-Markin maintained that the Minority would continue to seek justice through legal means, accusing the NDC of using the situation for political advantage.
Social justice
The Minority Leader reminded the NDC that while they focused on political disputes surrounding the case of the Akwatia’s MP, Ernest Kumi, crucial social justice matters were being overlooked by the government.
Accordingly, Mr. Afenyo-Markin has reiterated their resolve to raise these issues in Parliament starting this week.
“If they think they are using Ernest Kumi for politics, we remind them that next week Thursday, the President will be coming to the Chamber. They seem to have forgotten that they are in government. If today they claim to be champions of the rule of law, we have heard them,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin stated.
The NDC MPs, he pointed out, cannot behave as though they are still in opposition.
“We are reminding the NDC, they have forgotten that they are in government. So if today, they are the avant-garde of the rule of law we have heard.
“On Thursday, there are other matters of social justice in the country that perhaps they have overlooked. So if they are showing us the path of social justice and the rule of law, we have heard them.
“From Tuesday, we in the minority, God willingly, will also begin the process of bringing to the fore, all the issues that the government must undertake to bring social justice to our country and will not limit it to Tuesday, we’ll go on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and we’ll continue until all the issues of social justice addressed. So we thank them for causing an adjournment today, we thank the NDC majority caucus,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin told the news conference.
NDC’s intolerance
The Minority Leader also criticised the Majority NDC MPs for what he termed an “intolerant” approach to parliamentary debate and vowed that the Minority will not shy away from highlighting critical issues of social justice.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin accused members of the Majority of suppressing discussion and fostering a disruptive environment in Parliament.
“When they introduce any matter for discussion, they behave like ‘Nana Kasapreko’ (like the chief who speaks and it’s final) and that is the kind of majority we have in Ghana’s parliament.
He explained that whenever the opposition raises a matter for debate, the majority often interrupts, resorting to confusion to avoid addressing the topic.
“There is clear intolerance in this Parliament. When the majority introduces matters for discussion, they believe they have the final say,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin reiterated, asserting that such behaviour obstructs productive debate.
The Minority Leader pointed to the recent incident involving the Akwatia MP where the Majority Leader, Mr. Ayariga, disrupted legal discussions in Parliament.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin accused Mr. Ayariga of introducing a legal argument without understanding the legal processes involved, further escalating tensions in the sitting.
According to him, when the majority’s arguments faltered, their response was to resort to shouting and disruption.
Hypocrisy
Mr. Afenyo-Markin also accused the NDC MPs of hypocrisy, particularly in their calls for respect for the judiciary.
He referenced past comments by the NDC, who had used insulting language against the judiciary when they disagreed with a Supreme Court ruling in October 2024.
In contrast, the Minority, he said, was following lawful processes in challenging what they saw as judicial misconduct.
Court’s disregard fairness
The Minority Leader said the court had not followed proper legal steps in treating the Akwatia MP’s matter as an election petition, which had led to further confusion.
He recounted that the high court judge, Justice Emmanuel Senyo Amedahe ignored a series of notices intended to prevent him from sitting on the substantive matter and pronouncing judgement.
These notices include; a writ of certiorari and prohibition on the grounds of the high court’s lack of jurisdiction as well as a stay of proceeding.
According to the minority, a stay of execution pending appeal has been filed to arrest the ruling of the judge.
