Privileges Committee Probes Afenyo-Markin Over Alleged Contempt of Parliament

Speaker of Parliament has referred the Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, to the Committee on Privileges and Immunities following a formal complaint alleging contempt of Parliament.
The referral, announced by Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, stems from a petition filed by the Majority Leader and MP for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, accusing the Minority Leader of attending a sitting of the ECOWAS Parliament in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, despite a prior resolution of the House excluding him from Ghana’s delegation.
According to the Majority Leader’s complaint, Afenyo-Markin’s participation in the September 25–28, 2025 ECOWAS Parliamentary session constituted a direct breach of a binding parliamentary resolution and amounted to an affront to the authority and dignity of the House. The petition was submitted under Orders 6 and 33 of the Standing Orders of the House
Delivering his ruling on Thursday November 27, 2025, the Speaker noted that the Standing Orders require him to first establish a prima facie case before referring such matters for investigation.
He recounted that although a parliamentary resolution is not the same as an order issued by the Speaker, it nonetheless carries binding force on all Members until it is rescinded or varied in accordance with procedure.
“A resolution is the formal expression of the will of the House,” the Speaker stated. “Once adopted, it binds all Members irrespective of political affiliation or leadership status. Conduct that disregards a valid decision of Parliament may constitute an affront to its dignity and authority.”
Speaker Bagbin further explained that Parliament’s contempt jurisdiction, grounded in Article 122 of the Constitution and Section 26 of the Parliament Act, extends to acts committed outside the precincts of Parliament if such acts have the tendency to undermine the institution.
After reviewing the complaint, Standing Orders, and constitutional provisions, the Speaker concluded that the allegations “prima facie implicate the institutional integrity of the House,” thus warranting a full investigation by the Privileges Committee.
The Committee has been tasked to:
1. Establish the facts surrounding the Minority Leader’s attendance in Port Harcourt.
2. Examine the relevant parliamentary resolutions and ECOWAS protocols.
3. Determine whether the conduct, if proven, constitutes contempt or a breach of privilege.
4. Make recommendations for the House’s consideration.
The Speaker urged MPs to refrain from public commentary on the matter until the Committee submits its findings, emphasizing the need to protect the dignity and unity of Parliament.
A time frame for the committee’s work was however not stated by the speaker.