'You don't get notice when calamity is about to befall you'
play videoAlexander Afenyo-Markin is the Minority Leader in Parliament
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has urged Ghanaian politicians to be mindful of their actions when in power and avoid making everything too partisan.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on June 4, 2025, he pointed out that in Ghana, success is often based on connections rather than hard work.
He warned that this approach weakens the country and that politicians should focus on fairness and merit.
He also advised lawmakers to learn from struggling nations, saying that many have failed because their leaders took things for granted.
He cautioned that when disaster is about to strike, it often comes without warning.
“We cannot come and everything is being polarized — everything is partisan. Ghana is not celebrating hard work, industry, and merit. It has to be whom you know. If I get power, I’m looking for who, because I’m an NPP. I’m looking for who is an NDC for me to destroy. And when the time comes and you also get yours, you will now say, ‘It is our time. It is also NDC’s time. Let’s destroy.’
“All we have is our country, Ghana. If you see the way other countries are failing — if you see the way some of the democracies in the subregion are having challenges — it is because the politicians in those jurisdictions took things for granted. And it becomes sudden, Mr Speaker. When you are about to suffer a calamity, you don’t get any form of notice — it just comes,” the MP for Effutu added.
He also urged politicians to be aware of current events, especially in the subregion, where ongoing issues have become a key topic of discussion.
He emphasised that these developments should serve as a guide and reminder for how they should conduct themselves in leadership.
He said, “So, the Ghanaian political class should take note. The concerns about what is happening in the subregion, which has become the subject matter of our discussions today, should guide us. It should remind us in how we posture.”
Watch his comments on GhanaWeb TV below:
VKB/AE
Watch as Muntaka Mubarak criticises Afenyo-Markin in Parliament
