accra: The Minority Leader, Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has publicly criticized the government, accusing it of undermining the trust of local businesses and Ghanaian workers through significant job losses, increased tariffs, and the termination of the One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative.
According to Ghana Web, Afenyo-Markin expressed his concerns during a parliamentary debate on the Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review of the 2026 Budget. He argued that the government has failed to propose viable policy alternatives following the cancellation of essential economic programs. "You're the organization. Ghanaian businesses have lost confidence in you. You cancel the 1D1F which was creating opportunity for the private sector. In it place no policy alternative," he asserted.
Afenyo-Markin also criticized the rising utility costs and public sector layoffs, questioning the practicality of the proposed 24-hour economy policy in the current economic climate. "Electricity tariffs have gone up over almost thirty percent. Then you get up and say you are promoting 24-Hour Economy. You have sacked public sector workers. Many of the Ghanian youth lost their jobs. You sacked them," he conveyed to the Parliament.
He emphasized that the government's focus should be on restoring livelihoods and alleviating citizens' hardships rather than seeking praise. "Today you are here. Instead of promising to restore them into their rightful places in the job market you are not doing so. Then you come you say we should praise you. Who is going to praise you?" he questioned.
Afenyo-Markin also accused the government of selective disbursement of state resources, leaving ordinary citizens and some government backbenchers to face economic difficulties. "If you don't pay and you are holding the money and then you are there tightening belt and only paying your party members then we should praise you. We are not interested in the books. We are interested in the economy in our pockets. People are suffering Mister Speaker. People need jobs," he stated.
He warned of potential electoral defeat in 2028, urging the Attorney-General and the executive to halt what he described as political persecution. "I want you to the Attorney General that there are very clouds that no longer be victorious. They shall not long possess the sky. Be careful. Twenty twenty-eight you'll be in opposition. Twenty twenty-eight," he cautioned.
In his address, Afenyo-Markin recognized the Finance Minister's acknowledgment of past digitalization achievements but demanded the immediate release of opposition figures. "We welcome the reforms by the Finance Minister and for the first time he did something patriotic by acknowledging the digitalization reforms we introduced in government payments. Today he has acknowledged it. Speaker we commend you for acknowledging NPP. We commend you but you can do better," he said.
He maintained that legal pressure against Minority Members of Parliament would not deter them from holding the administration accountable. "The MPs behind me that you have lined them up for persecution. Listen you can decide to imprison every MP. It will not shut us down. We will criticize you. We will hold your feet to account and we'll make sure you account for every city you spend," he declared.
Addressing budgetary allocations, Afenyo-Markin criticized Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson over a GHS42 million allocation for the 24-hour economy project, arguing that funds should prioritize stalled healthcare projects such as Agenda 111. "The finance minister to walk the talk. If you come here and you say 24- hour market at forty-two million cities and you've abandoned the agenda one one one. The hospitals that should be your priority. You are not consulting the hospitals," he remarked.
Concluding his address, Afenyo-Markin described the mid-year review as lacking inspiration and reiterated concerns over state-led persecution. "Speaker this this review is on inspiring. There is no inspiration. What we are experiencing in this country is persecution persecution persecution. For the first time we are seeing political imprisonment. Won't to me is a political prisoner," he told the House.