2024 Election: We Must Avoid a Hung Parliament – Afenyo-Markin Urges Party Faithful
Majority Leader of Parliament, Hon Alexander Afenyo-Markin has charged members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to work hard to obtain absolute majority in parliament to avoid another hung parliament.
While lauding President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s leadership as unparalleled in Ghana’s history, the Majority leader said the party need a clear control of parliament to be able to execute the good policies in the 2024 manifesto.
“Having a split parliament with a Speaker from the opposition, coupled with severe global economic crises—no president in Ghana’s history has had to navigate such circumstances like Akufo-Addo has. Yet, he has led with unmatched composure and determination. Nana, we thank you!” Afenyo-Markin stated.
Speaking at the launch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2024 manifesto on Sunday, August 18, , the Effutu lawmaker noted that no other Ghanaian president has faced challenges on the scale of those Akufo-Addo has managed, all while maintaining calmness and focus.
He questioned how Ghana would have fared under former President John Mahama during these difficult times, including the financial sector crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the global cost-of-living crisis.
“How would John Mahama have handled these multiple crises if, unfortunately, he were our leader? Remember, he led Ghana into an economic crisis just three years after we discovered oil, even when the global economy was stable and there was no pandemic. Please, let’s not take Ghana back to the days of ‘dumsor,’” he cautioned.
Afenyo-Markin emphasized that the NPP government has accomplished more in the past eight years than any other administration under the Fourth Republic. He highlighted key achievements in infrastructure, education, health, national security, agriculture, and energy.
“We have done more for national security—whether in recruitment or providing logistics for the police, military, immigration, and fire services—than any other government. We have empowered farmers more than any previous administration. We have built more railways and kept the lights on better than the NDC ever did,” he declared.
He urged Ghanaians to recall the state of the nation under John Mahama, asserting that the NPP has stabilized the economy and laid a strong foundation for the next government to deliver what truly matters to Ghanaians: jobs.
“This stability, this reliability, is what responsible governance looks like. Remember the state of our nation under John Mahama. Chronic power outages crippled businesses and households alike. ‘Dumsor’ was more than a word; it was a national crisis. Barbers, hairdressers, cold store operators, and others could barely keep their businesses running, working just to cover generator fuel costs. Hotels had to turn away customers because they couldn’t afford to keep the generators on. Our new oil-rich economy was on life support, requiring an IMF bailout. Unemployment soared, especially among the youth, leading to the rise of the Association of Unemployed Youth,” he recounted.
Instead of prioritizing infrastructure like tractors to fix roads, Mahama opted to buy small cars for young women, Afenyo-Markin remarked, adding, “This isn’t just my opinion—it’s based on their own uncontested testimonies!”
He further questioned whether Mahama, if given another term, would truly care for Ghanaians, saying, “Corruption scandals regularly made headlines under his leadership, yet he hoped for re-election. Did he care about you then? No! And would he care now if given another chance this December?
About Author
