Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo‑Markin has publicly challenged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to accept the same level of scrutiny it demanded of the Nana Addo Akufo‑Addo administration when it was in opposition.
The comments come amid criticism of the government’s handling of the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa, where the NDC has questioned the GH¢49.72 million reportedly spent, citing alleged discrepancies in payment registers, duplicate entries and gaps in supporting documents.
Afenyo‑Markin called for an independent audit of the exercise and demanded the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, threatening a vote of censure if he remains in office.
In a Facebook post on Friday, October 30, the Effutu MP said the NDC could not champion accountability while in opposition and became uncomfortable with it after assuming power.
He accused the governing party of applying double standards on accountability, arguing that it now treats criticism of government decisions as political hostility after spending eight years insisting that questioning those in power was essential to democracy.
“The NDC spent eight years teaching Ghanaians that questioning government was patriotism. Today, the same people appear offended that Ghanaians have taken those lessons seriously,” he wrote.
He questioned whether the standards of accountability had changed simply because a different political party was now in government, saying “Apparently, accountability was a democratic virtue when the NPP was in power, but it has suddenly become political persecution now that the NDC occupies the seat of government.”
Afenyo‑Markin cited the NDC’s record in opposition, noting that the party scrutinised contracts, challenged appointments, interrogated public expenditure and questioned government promises under the previous administration.
He insisted that similar scrutiny of the current government should not be regarded as an act of hostility, stating “Public office is not a personal possession; it is a public trust. Holding office does not grant anyone immunity from criticism. Questioning a contract is not a personal attack on the person who approved it. Demanding transparency is not an expression of hatred. Asking government to honour its promises is not an attempt to undermine it. It is simply democracy at work.”
The Minority Leader pledged that the opposition would continue scrutinising government contracts, public expenditure and policy commitments, adding “The Mighty Minority will continue to read the documents, examine the contracts, question public expenditure, and measure government promises against actual performance.”
He maintained that the NDC should be held to the same accountability standards it demanded of the NPP while in opposition, stating “The standard members of the NDC demanded when they were in opposition should be the same standard they must live by, and we, the Mighty Minority, will not renege.”
