By Iddi Yire
Accra, July 5, GNA – Mr Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business, has delivered a statement on the floor of Parliament; dubbed “Rising Impunity in Ghana – A Threat to Democracy: The Role of The Political Class.”
The Majority Leader said Ghana had long been celebrated as a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa, a testament to the resilience of its institutions and the activism of its political class.
“However, beneath this grace lies an emerging reality: the detrimental effects of our politics,” he stated.
He noted that the political class was increasingly consumed by a desire to outdo each other, leading to measures aimed more at undermining opponents than fostering national progress.
He said while the political elite focused on electoral battles and building political capital, a significant portion of the population, including the youth, was being left behind.
“Consequently, the demographic potential of our youth, often praised as a critical driver of development, remains largely untapped.”
Mr Afenyo-Markin said entrepreneurship and employment opportunities were scarce, and even those few opportunities face challenges.
“Our artisans, often criticized for their work attitudes, are losing jobs in the construction sector to artisans from neighbouring countries, even for basic tasks we once took for granted,” he said.
He said that the potential for entrepreneurship was further diminished as people increasingly prefer to invest in the money market, deterred by the prevailing work attitudes from setting up businesses.
“Mr Speaker, the Government has significantly addressed these challenges through social intervention programmes,” he said.
He added: “However, these initiatives alone, without the united support of the political class, may fall short of delivering the comprehensive results needed, resulting in counterproductive outcomes to our reasonable gains over the years. The consequences may be dire for our stability.”
Mr Afenyo-Markin said throughout history, frustrations and disillusionment among the masses, including the youth, had led to significant social and political unrest.
“The recent Gen Z activism in Kenya serves as a stark warning. To prevent such scenarios in Ghana, it is imperative that the political class collaboratively take proactive and comprehensive measures to address the underlying causes of public discontent,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said.
He reiterated that their reoccupation with political maneuvering should not blind them to the reality of public expectations.
“Let us all recommit to a national agenda that not only leverages the potential of our youth but also unlocks the massive development potential often associated with the demographic dividend,” he said.
Contributing to the statement, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South, said the political class had exposed themselves to radical and humiliation because of mutual respect; saying “And Mr Speaker, it is simply because in Ghana, we have reduced our politics to a contest of persons and not a contest on issues and ideas”.
Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Abuakwa South, extended his condolence to the bereaved families of the victims of the Kenyan protest.
Touching on Ghana, Mr Atta Akyea, who said he would never condone any form of violence, urged people to use the courts to address their grievances.
Mr Edwin Nii Lante-Vanderpuye, the NDC MP for Odododiodio, who was part of Ghana’s Parliamentary Delegation, which was in the Chamber of the Kenyan Parliament at the time of the protesters’ attack, recounted events leading to the attack.
He noted that he had a very wonderful experience in Nairobi with his colleague MPs from Ghana, and that it was not something to be happy about.
Mr Lante-Vanderpuye said: “Sometimes people will do the wrong thing for the right reason, because when we push people to a level and they hit their zero tolerance, they definitely will react.
“Mr Speaker, let’s not be deceived, everybody wants peace, everybody will want to go by the right procedure to address issues but when people have a feeling and sense of judgement that they are not being given a fair and a level playing field, they definitely will react. It is a human reaction and there is nothing you can do about it.”
He said the June 25 2024 event in Kenya was a awake up call for the political class in Ghana.
GNA