The Majority Leader, Mr Mahama Ayariga, has formally lodged a complaint with the Speaker of Parliament against Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, accusing him of acts of contempt of Parliament and breach of parliamentary privilege.
In his submission, Mr Ayariga urged the Speaker to refer the matter to the Privileges Committee of Parliament for investigation and possible sanctions should Mr Afenyo-Markin be found culpable.
The Majority Leader cited Order 30 and Order 31(O) of the Standing Orders of Parliament, which outlined acts that constituted contempt of Parliament.
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Giving the basis of his complaint, Mr Ayariga, who is the Leader of Government Business, explained that on July 22, 2025, Parliament of Ghana passed a resolution, constituting Ghana’s delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, explicitly removing Mr Afenyo-Markin’s name from the list.
The resolution, he said, was communicated to ECOWAS Parliament.
However, Mr Ayariga said, during the ECOWAS Parliament session held in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, from September 25–28, 2025, Ghana’s delegation encountered Mr Afenyo-Markin seated among members of Ghana’s delegation, despite his removal.
His presence reportedly caused ECOWAS Parliament to initially refuse to swear in the Ghana’s delegation, Mr Ayariga stated.
Mr Ayariga, also Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, recounted that he had to personally intervene and threatened Ghana’s withdrawal from ECOWAS before the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament eventually swore in four members of Ghana’s delegation.
Mr Ayariga stressed that Mr Afenyo-Markin’s attendance at the ECOWAS session was in “clear defiance” of Parliament’s resolution, thereby undermining the authority of the House.
“By defying this Parliament’s resolution and actually going to Port Harcourt to attend the session, he has affronted the dignity and engaged in an act that constitutes an affront to the authority of this Parliament,” Mr Ayariga emphasised.
According to Mr Ayariga, contempt included obstructing or impeding Parliament in the performance of its functions, obstructing, or impeding the Speaker, a Member, or an Officer of Parliament in the discharge of their duties and affronting the dignity or authority of Parliament and bringing the name of Parliament into disrepute.
The legislator argued that Mr Afenyo-Markin’s actions fell squarely within these provisions and urged the Speaker to refer the Minority Leader to the Privileges Committee for processing.
The Majority Leader insisted that appropriate sanctions be applied if the Committee found Mr Afenyo-Markin culpable.
Speaker Bagbin said he would diligently examine the merits of the complaint and take a decision on it.
GNA
