The minority leader, Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has criticised the government for utilising proceeds from the taxes it complained Ghanaians were suffering from, to finance the recent Independence Day celebration and other expenses.
Speaking during the debate on the 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament on Friday, March 7, 2025 Afenyo-Markin criticised the President for failing to acknowledge the contributions of the previous administration and for what he described as a pattern of “lamentation” rather than solutions.
“Since he came, Mr. Speaker, the very taxes that he said Ghanaians were suffering from, the E-levy and other taxes are the same revenues his government is using to celebrate Independence Day. These are the revenues they are using to fuel cars and finance all government expenses,” he said.
“When he came to this house, all we heard was lamentation, lamentation, lamentation, but this is not new. This is how we’ve always known the president to be,” he stated.
According to him, President Mahama’s approach has remained unchanged over the years. He recalled that in 2013, the then-president had also come to Parliament to deliver the State of the Nation Address, but instead of outlining a way forward, he lamented about the state of the economy, despite having been part of the same government since 2009.
“In 2016, when we had the financial sector crisis, he came to this house and blamed the Bank of Ghana for failing in its supervisory functions. Yet, as President, he was responsible for appointing the Governor and the Board of the Central Bank. How do you blame the Bank of Ghana when you are the one in charge?” Afenyo-Markin continued.
Lack of New Policy Initiatives
The minority leader further accused the government of failing to introduce any significant policy initiative since taking office.
He argued that many of the policies currently in place, including Free SHS, were inherited from the previous administration.
“What the president failed to tell Ghanaians is that despite all the crises, the NPP managed to introduce Free SHS and sustained it for eight years. He was even in a hurry to claim credit for a budget he came to meet, the same budget enabling him to manage the economy today,” he noted.
Gender Representation
The minority leader also criticised the government for failing to meet the 30% threshold for women’s representation in leadership positions.
He pointed out that despite having competent female leaders in Parliament they were largely overlooked in ministerial appointments.
“The President has failed to comply with the Affirmative Action Law. How do you appoint only 10% women in the cabinet when the law mandates at least 30%? Are you saying the women in this chamber are not competent?” he asserted.
He mentioned several female MPs who were qualified for ministerial roles but had been sidelined, questioning why people like Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings and Helen Ntoso had not been given appointments.
“Mr. Speaker, how can the President overlook someone like Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings? How can he ignore such a competent material?” Afenyo-Markin asked.
Economic Strategy
The minority leader also criticised the government’s approach to economic policy, particularly the much-touted 24-hour economy initiative.
According to him, the policy remains vague and lacks a clear implementation strategy. He argued that rather than focusing on committees and consultations, the government should take decisive action, just as the NPP did with the Free SHS policy when it took office.
“When Akufo-Addo came into office, the first thing he did was implement Free SHS without delay. What is stopping this government from doing the same with their so-called 24-hour economy?”
Afenyo-Markin also strongly criticized the government’s approach to public sector employment, claiming that rather than expanding opportunities for unemployed youth, the administration is instead dismissing qualified workers to make way for party loyalists.
“If the government indeed believes in creating opportunities for all, the least it could have done was to create space for new recruitment, rather than look into the eyes of parents who are paying school fees and tell them, ‘I am sacking your son to come and sit at home.’ I don’t care what happens to you,” he lamented.
According to him, this move contradicts the president’s claim of being a leader who cares about the welfare of citizens. He accused the government of hypocrisy, stating that despite criticising the previous administration, it has done little to improve employment opportunities for Ghanaians.
Misrepresentation of Social Policies
The Minority Leader also challenged the government’s claims regarding social intervention programs, arguing that many of the initiatives it touts were actually introduced by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and not the current administration.
“The health insurance policy that the NDC nearly collapsed had to be reactivated and improved by the NPP. Yet today, they come and claim that ‘Mahama cares’ because they want to introduce some subsidiary policy on it,” he said.
He further pointed to the School Feeding Program as another example, asserting that it was an initiative started under former President John Agyekum Kuffuor but is now being claimed by the current government as its own.
“Did Kufuor go around saying ‘Kufuor cares’ when he introduced health insurance and the School Feeding Program? Can the NDC name a single social intervention program it has introduced and successfully implemented?” he challenged.
Scholarships
Afenyo-Markin contrasted the current administration’s approach to public service opportunities with that of the NPP, arguing that the previous government was more inclusive.
He cited the case of the newly approved Deputy Attorney General, who, despite being a vocal critic of the NPP, was given a state-funded scholarship to pursue his PhD in the United Kingdom under the previous administration.
“Even when he was loud on the streets criticizing the NPP, the government did not deny him the opportunity for higher education. His fees were paid by the state, accommodation paid, living expenses paid for four years. That is what a fair government does,” he stated.
Lack of Innovation and Economic Deception
The Minority Leader also accused the government of relying on tax revenues and economic structures inherited from the previous administration while misleading the public into believing it had introduced new financial policies.
“The government boasts of paying matured bonds and treasury bills, but from which money? Has this administration introduced any new tax policy? These are the monies they came to meet. So why the mischief? Why the deceit?” he questioned.
Afenyo -Markin further alleged that the government is struggling to fulfill its campaign promises and is already facing internal divisions over political appointments.
He claimed that the selection process for government positions is being influenced by party factions, sidelining many competent members of the ruling party.
“Even the independent MPs who align with the NDC majority – none of them has been considered for an appointment. This is a true family-and-friends government. You must be connected to someone before your name will even be considered,” he alleged.
A State of Hopelessness
According to Afenyo-Markin, the frustrations within the ruling party are spilling over into Parliament, where many MPs are uncertain about their future.
“Mr. Speaker, how should MPs go and account to their constituents when they themselves do not even know what their role is in this government? Some don’t know if they’ll be on a board, others don’t know if they’ll be appointed as Deputy Ministers,” he remarked.
He suggested that the confusion and frustration within the ruling party were indicators of a government that lacks a clear vision.
“If members of the President’s own party do not know when resources will be made available for their constituencies, what about the ordinary Ghanaian? What about the foot soldiers? This is a state of hopelessness,” he asserted.
Looking to 2028
Concluding his remarks, Afenyo-Markin reassured Ghanaians that the current hardships under the government would not last forever.
He expressed confidence that the opposition would return to power in the 2028 elections to restore hope and improve governance.
“The ravaging clouds shall not long be victorious. They shall not long possess the skies. A day of hope is on its way. And a better government, a government that understands the plight of the people, will return to resolve these challenges,” he declared.
