Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Osahen Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has censured the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), accusing the party of political hypocrisy and abandoning principles following Parliament’s passage of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, popularly known as the LGBTQ+ Bill.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament after the legislation was approved, Afenyo-Markin described the NDC’s conduct as an “unprincipled political act,” arguing that the party had significantly altered provisions of a bill it had previously championed while in opposition.
According to the Minority Leader, the NDC had consistently resisted attempts to amend the original bill during the previous Parliament and pressured former President to assent to it.
However, now in government, he said the same party had amended and diluted key provisions of the legislation.
“They may try and act smart, but smartness does not last. Integrity lasts,” Afenyo-Markin declared, insisting that the changes made to the bill exposed what he termed a lack of consistency and principle on the part of the NDC.
The Effutu MP argued that the revised legislation differed substantially from the version the NDC had previously defended and promoted.
He challenged Ghanaians, religious leaders, traditional authorities, and civil society organisations to compare the earlier bill with the one recently passed by Parliament.
“I urge every Ghanaian interested in this matter to pick the law that the NDC pushed on Ghanaians and compare it with this very law they claim President Mahama is going to sign,” he said.
Afenyo-Markin maintained that the NDC itself knew that the original bill could not have been signed into law in its previous form, and therefore had been compelled to revise it after assuming office.
Beyond the substance of the legislation, the Minority Leader also raised concerns about the parliamentary process leading to the bill’s passage.
He claimed that at critical stages of the proceedings, none of the principal sponsors of the bill were present in the chamber to move key motions associated with the legislation.
Afenyo-Markin specifically mentioned prominent sponsors, including Hon. Sam Nartey George, Hon. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah and others, questioning their absence during deliberations.
According to him, motions relating to the bill were moved by other members without the direct involvement of the listed sponsors, a situation he suggested warranted scrutiny.
The Minority Leader recalled discussions held during the Eighth Parliament when concerns were raised about several clauses in the bill.
He noted that despite warnings and calls for dialogue at the time, proponents of the legislation had rejected suggestions for amendments.
“Today, as they take responsibility for governance, they have realised that the issues we raised were indeed critical,” he stated.
Afenyo-Markin used the opportunity to broaden his criticism of the Mahama administration, accusing the government of repeatedly making promises in opposition only to reverse course after assuming power.
He cited what he described as attempts to reintroduce forms of electronic transaction charges despite the NDC’s opposition to the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) while in opposition.
The Minority Leader also criticised recent increases in utility tariffs, alleging that electricity tariffs had risen significantly while water tariffs had also been adjusted upward.
He further accused the government of failing to deliver on key campaign promises, including job creation initiatives, support for investors who lost funds through financial sector challenges, and efforts to tackle illegal mining.
According to him, these developments reflected a pattern of inconsistency between the NDC’s opposition rhetoric and its actions in government. “Posterity Will Judge”
Throughout his address, Afenyo-Markin repeatedly accused the NDC of engaging in double standards and abandoning principles for political convenience.
“We may be few, but we are armed with principle,” he told the House, stressing that the Minority would continue to hold the government accountable despite its numerical disadvantage in Parliament.
The Minority Leader concluded his remarks with a literary reference to celebrated Kenyan writer , quoting from his work to suggest that political fortunes can change and that governments must ultimately answer to history.
“Posterity will judge your conduct,” he said, warning that the NDC would eventually be held accountable for what he described as contradictions between its promises and actions.
His comments added a new layer of political controversy to the debate surrounding the LGBTQ+ Bill, a piece of legislation that continues to generate significant public, religious, and political discussion across the country.
By 1960news.com
