Alexander Afenyo-Markin
Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, says Ghanaians are yearning for bold, competent and proven leadership, arguing that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) remains the country’s best hope for economic recovery amid what he described as deepening hardship under the John Dramani Mahama-led administration.
Addressing Parliament during the first sitting of the Second Session yesterday, Mr. Afenyo-Markin accused the government of mismanaging the economy and relying on public relations gimmicks rather than sound and transformative policies.
“Ghana is crying out for bold, competent, proven leadership. The hardship we are witnessing is not an accident. It is the consequence of choices,” he asserted
He insisted that the NPP has a tested and credible blueprint for governance, citing the party’s record under former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
According to him, despite setbacks such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the NPP demonstrated resilience and placed the country on a recovery path.
“The NPP is not just a political option; it is the solution Ghana requires. History will ask what we built when Ghana needed us most,” he said.
The Minority Leader painted a grim picture of the current economic situation, pointing to challenges in agriculture, including shortages of fertilisers, certified seeds and farm machinery in 2025.
He also raised concerns about food safety challenges and urged the completion of warehouse projects initiated by the previous administration.
He further accused the government of failing cocoa farmers, calling on the Ministries of Finance and Food and Agriculture to ensure prompt payment for cocoa supplied to COCOBOD.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin devoted significant attention to what he described as two major economic scandals that rocked the country during the parliamentary recess.
He cited an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report which flagged losses of about US$240 million under the gold-for-reserves programme by the third quarter of 2025, warning that the losses represented lost opportunities in education, healthcare and agriculture.
More alarming, he said, was the sharp decline in Ghana’s gold reserves, which reportedly fell from 37.1 tonnes in September 2025 to about 18.6 tonnes by December, describing the development as “gold turned to ghosts.”
He accused the government of abandoning the fight against illegal mining and allegedly sourcing gold from environmentally destructive activities to prop up the cedi, a strategy he labelled “national self-sabotage.”
The Minority Leader welcomed the Speaker’s decision to admit a motion for parliamentary inquiry into the gold reserve losses, and demanded full transparency, accountability and disclosure of all transactions linked to the programme.
Beyond the economy, Mr. Afenyo-Markin raised concerns about the country’s foreign relations following an indefinite pause in immigrant visa processing by the United States, warning that inconsistent foreign policy was hurting ordinary citizens.
He also condemned the reported rise in attacks on journalists, describing it as a threat to democracy and Parliament itself.
Looking ahead, he announced that the Minority would pursue targeted parliamentary inquiries into issues including gold reserve losses, aviation disasters, violence against journalists, alleged abuse of bail conditions, the US visa restrictions, and the dismissal of Ghanaian youth from public sector jobs.
“Ghanaians are tired of rhetoric. They want improved living standards,” he said, adding that while the Minority would be fair, it would remain firm in demanding accountability and quality governance.
“The NPP will not only oppose; we will offer solutions,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin assured.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House