The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority caucus in Parliament has pledged to intensify its legislative and oversight role to protect the public purse, as the Second Session of the 9th Parliament prepares to commence on February 3, 2026.
According to the caucus, it will subject all government business to strict scrutiny and resist the frequent use of the Certificate of Urgency provision under the Standing Orders of the House for the passage of bills, which it says undermines transparency and accountability.
The assurance was given by the Minority Leader, Osahen Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, at a press conference held on Monday, January 26, 2026, at Parliament House under the theme: “Holding Government to Account: One Year of Active and Responsible Minority Scrutiny in Ghana’s 9th Parliament.”
Mr. Afenyo-Markin said the NPP Minority despite holding 87 seats against a large NDC majority, would function as Parliament’s “constitutional circuit breaker,” insisting that procedure, oversight and public accountability prevail over “brute numbers.”
On the economy, the Minority challenged government claims of prudent management, arguing that recent stability stems largely from the IMF programme, debt relief and commodity windfalls rather than structural reforms.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin who is also the Member of Parliament for Effutu cited the US$3 billion IMF programme since May 2023 and a US$2.8 billion debt-service relief approved by Parliament in mid-2025, which rescheduled payments through 2026, as key drivers of the current upswing. He said fiscal consolidation has been achieved through sharp expenditure cuts, while currency gains reflect global dollar weakness and gold inflows—not domestic re-engineering.
The Minority reiterated support for the Gold-for-Reserves policy in principle saying it originated under the NPP but raised two major concerns: the Ghana Gold Board’s dual role as regulator and operator, which it said “encourages galamsey,” and reported losses linked to the programme. Mr. Afenyo-Markin referenced IMF-reported losses of about US$214 million as at September 2025, questioning exchange-rate exposures and fees paid “without legal basis.”
He welcomed a joint BoG–Gold Board review that reduced margins to 9.75% for bullion and 9.55% for unprocessed gold from 15%, but said further losses must be addressed through a sustainable cost-sharing structure.
The Minority criticised new levies and tariff hikes, noting electricity tariffs have risen by more than 27% since the repeal of the e-levy calling this a case of “hypocrisy.” It also accused government of reintroducing a “Dumsor levy” after suspending it under scrutiny.
The caucus said macro stability has not translated into lower living costs, pointing to food prices, utilities and joblessness, especially among youth.
On social policy, the Minority accused the government of double standards over the anti-LGBT bill, alleging retreat from positions previously championed in opposition, and criticised curriculum content it said promotes “sexual rights,” calling official explanations “an anomaly.”
Institutionally, the caucus said Parliament has been reduced to a “fast-track, rubber-stamp” body through repeated use of urgency procedures, citing the Gold Board law, energy levies and other measures. “No more Certificates of Urgency,” Mr. Afenyo-Markin declared, promising robust debates, motions and contract scrutiny.
The Minority decried what it called a collapse of public transport saying the state bus fleet has fallen from over 1,000 to just over 100 in operation, with hundreds of buses idle leaving commuters stranded for hours. It demanded an emergency programme to restore the fleet.
It also criticised Ghana’s placement on a U.S. immigrant visa processing pause list, warning of risks to remittances Ghana’s largest corridor from the U.S. (US$1.5–US$2.5 billion annually). The caucus called for a high-level envoy to Washington and the dismissal of key officials, including the Foreign Minister and Ambassador to the U.S.
Conceding past mistakes in government, the Minority said its renewed mission is to win back public trust through principled opposition and credible alternatives. As the Second Session opens, it pledged to “hold feet to the fire” and prioritise substance over form in defence of accountability and democratic governance.
By: Christian Kpesese
