Afenyo-Markin extortion allegation threatens Parliament’s image - CDD

Democracy and Development Fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Dr John Osae-Kwapong, has warned that fresh allegations involving Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin could further erode public confidence in Parliament.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, Dr Osae-Kwapong said the controversy should not be viewed solely in terms of the individuals involved, but also in relation to the public’s perception of Parliament as Ghana’s key representative institution.

“When you look beyond the individual that has triggered this broader conversation that we are having, it really goes to the heart of how we perceive the institution of Parliament, the key representative institution of the people,” he said.

His comments follow a public dispute between Afenyo-Markin and Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Gyamfi.

Gyamfi accused the Minority Leader of being an “extortionist” and alleged that he was attempting to pressure GoldBod.

Afenyo-Markin has rejected the allegation and threatened legal action, turning the matter into a wider political and legal controversy.

Concerns over public trust

According to Dr Osae-Kwapong, the allegations must be considered against the backdrop of existing concerns about public trust in Parliament.

He cited findings from Afrobarometer indicating low levels of trust in the institution and high perceptions of corruption.

“When an institution like Parliament is facing what I call a crisis of confidence, very low trust and high perceptions of corruption, when these things come out, and they are alleged, right? Because at this point they are allegations,” he said.

He warned that even unproven allegations could reinforce negative perceptions already held by sections of the public.

“But when these allegations emerge, what they do is, in the eyes of the public, it goes to reinforce an already held perception about the country’s key democratic representative institution in our democracy architecture,” he added.

Dr Osae-Kwapong cautioned that continued erosion of public trust could have serious implications for Ghana’s democratic system.

“And when that confidence and that trust continues to erode, a time would come where citizens may lose total faith in that institution,” he said.

He noted that the potential loss of confidence would be particularly concerning given Parliament’s constitutional responsibilities, including making laws and exercising oversight over the Executive.

“And that doesn’t augur well for our democracy, for those that you expect, for example, to hold the Executive accountable, to provide oversight, to make laws on our behalf, etc.,” he said.

He therefore urged the public and stakeholders to look beyond the immediate dispute between Afenyo-Markin and Gyamfi and consider its broader implications for Parliament.

“So, for me, that is really the worrying thing about these allegations: what it does to Parliament itself as an institution at a time when it is already not in good standing in the eyes of the public,” he said.

The dispute has heightened scrutiny of the relationship between Parliament, public officials and institutions such as GoldBod, with the competing allegations and threat of legal action adding to the controversy.

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