The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, is in hot soup, as he could be expelled from Parliament if he is unable to defend the contempt allegations filed against him.
On Thursday, November 27, 2025 the Rt Hon Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, referred the matter of contempt of Parliament against the Effutu legislator to the Privileges Committee.
Parliament derives its powers to address contempt under Article 122 of the Constitution, Order 30 of the Standing Orders of Parliament, and Section 26 of the Parliament Act 1965, Act 300.
Orders 35 to 44 of the Standing Orders outline the punishment for the offence of contempt or breach of parliamentary privilege.
Particularly, Order 36 (1) says “Where the Committee of Privileges and Immunities determines that an act or conduct of a Member constitutes contempt or breach of privilege, Parliament may (a) reprimand the Member in the Member’s seat; or (b) by resolution (i) suspend the Member from the service of Parliament for a period not exceeding nine months whether or not that period extend beyond the end of the Session; or (ii) expel the Member from Parliament.”
COMPLAINT
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 formally cited the Minority Leader for contempt and urged the Speaker to refer him to the Privileges Committee.
According to the Bawku Central MP, the Effutu Parliamentarian clearly defied a resolution passed by Parliament by showing up at the ECOWAS Parliament.
The resolution removed his name from Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. He was replaced with the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei.
Mahama Ayariga argued that the decision by Afenyo-Markin to attend the ECOWAS Parliament’s meeting after the resolution offended Order 31 and fortified by Order 33 (1), was brought to the notice of the House.
RULING
In his ruling on Thursday, November 27, 2025, Speaker Bagbin agreed that a prima facie case had been established in the contempt complaint and then referred the matter to the Privileges Committee for investigation and report, including recommendations.
He explained that the jurisdiction to sanction contempt is not limited to acts committed within the Chamber.
“The relevant test is whether the conduct, wherever it occurs, has a direct tendency to obstruct, diminish or bring Parliament into disrepute or ridicule,” he added.
He continued that “Honourable Members, having reviewed the Complaints, the Standing Orders and the Governing Principles, I am satisfied that the matter raised prima facie and implicates the dignity and institutional integrity of this House. Pursuant to Order 34 (1), I, therefore, refer the matter, the complaints lodged by the Honourable Member for Bawku Central and a Majority Leader, to the Committee on Privileges and Immunities for examination, enquiry, investigation and report to the House.
SCOPE
The Speaker has directed the committee to ascertain the relevant facts giving rise to the complaints, including the actions taken by the House and by Afenyo-Markin.
The committee is also to review those actions taken within the framework of Parliament’s Standing Orders and the applicable protocols of the Equal Parliament.
They are to further determine whether the conduct, if established, constitutes contempt of Parliament or a breach of privilege under Orders 30 and 31 and make appropriate recommendations to the House for its consideration.
ECOWAS
Meanwhile, the website of the ECOWAS Parliament, at the time of filing this report in the evening of yesterday, had Alexander Afenyo-Markin as the 3rd Deputy Speaker of the Parliament.
At the inauguration of the 6th ECOWAS Parliament on April 4, 2024, the then Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who led Ghana’s delegation was elected the 3rd Deputy Speaker.
Chapter 3, Article 118 (2)(a) of the ECOWAS Supplementary Act relating to the enhancement of the powers of the ECOWAS Parliament, states, “A representative shall be elected for a period of four years from the date of the inauguration of Parliament by the Chairman of Authority. Their mandate shall end on the last day of the legislature.”
Under (b), it says, “However, a representative who is not re-elected at the national level shall remain in office until a new representative from his/her Member State takes up the position.”
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