Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, says he remains unfazed by the numerical disadvantage of his caucus in Parliament, insisting that his leadership will be defined by strategy and substance rather than strength in numbers.
According to him, influence in the legislature is not merely a function of numerical superiority, but of conviction and tact. “I’m not in any way worried about the numbers. Like I indicated in my opening remarks in Parliament, it’s about substance. Before the final destination, you need to demonstrate your weight. And for me, that is what enriches democracy,” he stated.
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Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on October 27, the Minority Leader said he draws inspiration from the experience of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) under Alban Bagbin, who led the party in Parliament after its defeat in the 2000 elections.
“The situation has happened before to the NDC. I draw a lot of inspiration from the Bagbin era and NDC opposition,” he noted.
Recalling that period, Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the NDC faced severe challenges in regaining public trust after losing power to President John Agyekum Kufuor in 2000.
“Kufuor enjoyed huge goodwill. In 2001, nobody wanted to hear NDC. It was difficult for them to even appear on radio programmes. But they put themselves together in the midst of the confusion,” he recounted.
He observed that the hard work and determination of the Bagbin-led Minority gradually restored the NDC’s credibility.
“By 2004, they had momentum on their side. Then by 2008, they surprised the nation,” he said.
Reflecting on his own party’s trajectory, Mr. Afenyo-Markin admitted that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government faced significant challenges during its tenure, particularly in tackling illegal mining, stabilising the economy, and addressing public dissatisfaction.
“We were faced with huge challenges. We tried, but we were not too successful. Typical example, galamsey,” he said.
He added that tough post-COVID economic measures, including the controversial debt restructuring programme, alienated segments of the party’s support base.
“We lost the middle class, the businessmen. There were haircuts, pensioners, educated people who ordinarily would vote NPP got disappointed,” he explained.
Despite these difficulties, he stressed the administration’s achievements in education and industrialisation. “We introduced Free SHS, which benefited many families. We brought in 1D1F, a major boost for the private sector. It attracted a lot of companies that saw Ghana as a great destination for business,” he said.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin maintained that while high expectations led to voter disappointment, the experience has provided valuable lessons for the NPP in opposition.
“Eventually, all these gains, because of our inability to meet the higher expectations of the Ghanaian people, we lost out,” he added.