Parliament Must Show It Can Police Its Own, Expert Warns After MP Allegations

Ghana's Parliament faces mounting pressure to demonstrate it can investigate and resolve corruption allegations involving its own members with transparency and rigour, according to Dr Rasheed Dramani, Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs.

Speaking on Joy News following recent allegations involving Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi, Dr Dramani emphasised that the legislature must establish a credible path from accusation to definitive resolution. The dispute, which began with Mr Gyamfi publicly accusing Mr Afenyo-Markin of extortion—allegations the MP has rejected whilst threatening legal action—has now escalated into a preliminary assessment by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

For Dr Dramani, the stakes extend far beyond the individuals involved. "When this issue broke out, I was very worried not about Afenyo-Markin, but about that office, particularly at a time when we have a supermajority parliament," he said, underscoring the critical importance of a credible Minority to hold the Executive accountable.

Why It Matters for Ghana

The credibility of Parliament's internal accountability mechanisms directly affects public trust in democratic institutions. Dr Dramani's intervention highlights a persistent problem: past allegations against MPs have rarely produced clear, publicly visible outcomes, leaving Ghanaians uncertain whether parliamentary misconduct is ever truly investigated or punished.

This matters particularly now. With Parliament operating as a supermajority—where the majority party holds overwhelming numbers—the role of the Minority as a check on Executive power becomes even more vital. If the Minority Leader himself faces credible allegations without transparent resolution, it weakens Parliament's ability to function as intended and erodes public confidence in the entire system.

The Pattern of Unresolved Allegations

Dr Dramani identified several systemic obstacles preventing Parliament from effectively policing itself. Partisan solidarity frequently overrides accountability, he explained, with entire political caucuses rallying around accused members without demanding answers. This tribal instinct—what he termed the prevalence of "relationships, networks and so on"—makes rigorous self-examination politically costly.

Additionally, Parliament applies starkly different standards to itself compared to other institutions. In 2024 alone, the Public Accounts Committee held 31 public hearings and made over 1,000 recommendations for resource recovery when scrutinising government institutions. Yet when Parliament's own members face allegations, similar rigour rarely materialises.

"What Parliament hasn't done for itself over the years is that we haven't seen a clear path of allegation to resolution," Dr Dramani observed. This absence of transparency has compounded public scepticism about whether Parliament genuinely investigates its members or simply protects them.

A Path Forward: Independence and Clarity

To restore credibility, Dr Dramani proposed a structural solution: establish investigative committees that include respected Ghanaians alongside MPs, rather than relying entirely on internal parliamentary processes. This mixed approach could insulate investigations from purely partisan considerations and provide independent oversight.

Critically, any process must produce visible, definitive outcomes. "We see a clear path from this allegation to a clear resolution, and if there are sanctions, let them be applied; if there are exonerations, let those happen," he stated. Without such transparency, investigations become exercises in public relations rather than genuine accountability.

For Ghana's democracy to function effectively—particularly with a supermajority government—Parliament must demonstrate that all members, regardless of rank or party affiliation, are subject to the same investigative standards. The Afenyo-Markin matter offers an opportunity to establish that precedent or, alternatively, to reinforce the troubling pattern that has eroded public trust for years.