Democracy and Development Fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Dr John Osae-Kwapong, has warned that fresh allegations involving Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin could further undermine public confidence in Parliament.
Speaking on Joy FM’s PM Express on Tuesday, Dr Osae-Kwapong said the controversy should not be viewed solely in terms of the conduct of the individual at the centre of the allegations.
He said the broader issue was what such allegations could mean for Parliament as Ghana’s principal representative institution.
“When you look beyond the individual that has triggered this broader conversation that we are having, it really goes to the heart of how we perceive the institution of Parliament, the key representative institution of the people,” he said.
Dispute involving Afenyo-Markin and Sammy Gyamfi
The comments come amid a public dispute between Mr Afenyo-Markin and GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi.
Mr Gyamfi accused the Minority Leader of being an “extortionist” and alleged that he was attempting to pressure GoldBod.
Mr Afenyo-Markin has rejected the allegations and threatened legal action, escalating the matter into a wider political and legal dispute.
For Dr Osae-Kwapong, however, the allegations must be considered against the backdrop of existing public perceptions of Parliament.
Concern over declining public trust
He referred to findings from Afrobarometer highlighting concerns about public trust in Parliament and perceptions of corruption.
“When an institution like Parliament is facing what I call a crisis of confidence, very low trust and high perceptions of corruption, when these things come out, and they are alleged, right? Because at this point they are allegations,” he said.
He warned that new allegations could reinforce negative perceptions already held by some members of the public.
“But when these allegations emerge, what they do is, in the eyes of the public, it goes to reinforce an already held perception about the country’s key democratic representative institution in our democracy architecture,” he said.
According to Dr Osae-Kwapong, continued erosion of public confidence could have serious implications for Ghana’s democratic system.
“And when that confidence and that trust continues to erode, a time would come where citizens may lose total faith in, you know, that institution,” he warned.
He said such a development would be particularly concerning given Parliament’s constitutional responsibilities, including making laws, exercising oversight and holding the Executive accountable.
“And that doesn’t augur well for our democracy, for those that you expect, for example, to hold the executive accountable, to provide oversight, to make laws on our behalf, etc.,” he said.
Focus should be on Parliament as an institution
Dr Osae-Kwapong maintained that the discussion should therefore go beyond the immediate dispute and the allegations against Mr Afenyo-Markin.
“So, for me, that is really the worrying thing about these allegations: what it does to Parliament itself as an institution at a time when it is already not in good standing in the eyes of the public,” he said.
The dispute between Mr Gyamfi and Mr Afenyo-Markin has intensified scrutiny of the relationship between Parliament, public officials and institutions such as GoldBod.
Dr Osae-Kwapong’s warning highlights a broader concern that, regardless of the eventual outcome of the competing claims and any legal proceedings, continued controversies involving lawmakers could further weaken citizens’ trust in Parliament and its ability to perform its constitutional role.
