Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, has moved a formal complaint of contempt against the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, accusing him of “clear defiance” of a parliamentary resolution.
The motion to cite Afenyo-Markin, the Member for Effutu, for contempt and breach of parliamentary privileges stems from his alleged attendance at a session of the ECOWAS Community Parliament in Nigeria.
Detailing the charge, Ayariga told the House that Afenyo-Markin had been removed from Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament by a resolution of the Ghanaian Parliament. The Majority Leader asserted that despite this, the Minority Leader attended the session in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, which convened from September 25 to 28, 2025.
The Majority Leader specifically stated that when Ghana’s newly nominated delegation arrived in Port Harcourt, they “met the Honourable Afenyo Makin, Alexander Kwamena, sitting there and refusing to give way as directed by this Parliament.”
Ayariga further disclosed a diplomatic standoff that resulted from the Minority Leader’s presence. He reported that the ECOWAS Parliament initially “refused to swear in Ghana’s delegation” because this Parliament had removed Alexander KwamenaAfenyo-Markin’s name.
Ayariga told members he was compelled to intervene with a stern warning to the ECOWAS Speaker,
“I had to intervene and threaten the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament that if my delegation returned to Ghana without being sworn in, she would receive a resolution of the Parliament of Ghana directing Ghana to withdraw from ECOWAS itself.” He noted it was “upon that threat” that the ECOWAS Speaker then “caved in and swore in four members of our delegation.”
The Majority Leader argued that by defying the resolution and attending the session, Afenyo-Markin “clearly, clearly affronted the dignity and engaged in an act that constitutes an affront to the authority of this Parliament.”
He cited Order 31-O of the Standing Orders, which states that “any act or omission which affronts the dignity or authority of Parliament or which tends either directly, or indirectly to bring the name of the Parliament into disrepute constitutes contempt of Parliament and a breach of Parliamentary Privilege.”
Ayariga concluded by urging the Speaker to refer the matter to the Privileges Committee, stating: “It is time that the Honourable Afenyo Makin be put in his proper place.” He sought a referral to ensure “the appropriate sanctions be executed in relation to the Honourable Alexander Kwamena Afenyo Makin.”
However, the Speaker, Alban Sumana Bagbin, acknowledged the gravity of the complaint but deferred his decision on whether to refer the matter to the Privileges Committee until the following day.
He strongly advised all members to “refrain from commenting on the matter” until he delivers his ruling, assuring the House that he would then “allow the house to have a say in the matter according to the standing orders.”
Story By: Eugenia Ewoenam Osei
