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‘I Have A Good Relationship With Afenyo-Markin, But His Excesses Are A Challenge’ - Bernard Ahiafor

  • Feb 4, 2025
  • 2 min read

Chairman of Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, has expressed frustration over what he describes as Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin’s inconsistencies in parliamentary proceedings.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, February 3, the Akatsi South MP acknowledged his good working relationship with Afenyo-Markin but admitted that he often finds it difficult to tolerate his backtracking on agreed decisions.


Bernard Ahiafor Calls Out Afenyo-Markin’s “Excesses” in Appointments Committee Affairs
Bernard Ahiafor Calls Out Afenyo-Markin’s “Excesses” in Appointments Committee Affairs

Ahiafor accused the Effutu MP of failing to adhere to agreements made within the committee, which he finds highly frustrating.


“I have a very good relationship with him, but sometimes I find it very difficult to take the excess,” Ahiafor stated.“I will not agree on one thing with you, and after a few minutes or a few hours, you behave as if that was not what we agreed upon. It pisses me off.”

Dismissing Afenyo-Markin’s claims that the Clerk of the Appointments Committee was being partisan or withholding reports, Ahiafor stressed that all committee members, including the Minority Leader, receive the necessary documents.


“There is nothing that the clerk of the committee has put out there that we have not agreed upon. There is no occasion that the clerk will not give me and give the Minority Leader a draft report.”

He further pointed out that reports are distributed transparently, sometimes in the full glare of the camera.


Afenyo-Markin Must Recognize His Role as Minority Leader


Ahiafor took a swipe at Afenyo-Markin’s transition from Majority to Minority Leader, suggesting that his colleague has yet to fully accept his new position.

“It’s about time for him to realise that he is no longer the Majority Leader but the Minority Leader. He can use any adjectives to describe himself—mighty, happy, whatever—but for me, he is in the minority.”
“It doesn’t look like he understands that, and sometimes I believe he forgets himself.”

Committee Clerks Take Directives from the Chairman, Not the Ranking Member


Ahiafor also clarified that parliamentary clerks follow directives from the Chairman of the Committee and not from the Ranking Member, which appears to be another point of misunderstanding for Afenyo-Markin.

“By our practice, clerks of the committee don’t take decisions from the Ranking Member. They take decisions from the Chairman of the Committee. That is why their letters mostly read, ‘I have been directed by the Chairman of the Committee,’ not the Ranking Member.”

He reiterated that Afenyo-Markin’s approach might be influenced by his former position as Deputy Majority Leader, suggesting that he needs to adapt to his new role.


“But because he is coming from the Majority point of view, I think he sometimes forgets himself and fails to realise that he is now in the Minority.”

Ahiafor’s comments have stirred debate within political circles, as tensions between the Majority and Minority caucuses continue to shape parliamentary proceedings.


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