The Minority in Parliament has expressed grave concerns over what it describes as the erosion of livelihoods and the weakening of Ghana’s democratic foundations due to increasing partisan governance.

The Caucus presented these concerns to President John Mahama at the Jubilee House on December 22, warning of a “clear and present danger” to national stability, constitutional order, and public trust.

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin formally delivered the concerns, with a statement issued by Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh on December 8. The issues, according to the Minority, span governance, security, the economy, and the rule of law, demanding urgent presidential attention.

Illegal mining, or ‘galamsey’, was highlighted as a central issue, with the Minority stating that the practice continues to devastate water bodies, forests, and the livelihoods of Ghanaians, and has worsened since January 2025.

The Caucus cautioned that weaknesses in the traceability systems at GoldBod could lead to the state inadvertently purchasing illegally mined gold, effectively legitimizing environmental destruction. “Ghana cannot become a state-sponsored conduit for illegal gold,” they asserted, also questioning the effectiveness of the Blue Water Guards despite their deployment.

Furthermore, the Minority raised an alarm regarding the dismissal of approximately 2,802 public servants through directives from the Chief of Staff. They argue this undermines the independence of the civil service and exacerbates hardship, particularly with 1.3 million young people already unemployed.

“The civil service must serve the state and not any governing party,” the statement emphasized.

The Caucus accused the governing party of manipulating election petitions for political gain, citing claims by NDC officials about using litigation to overturn parliamentary results as “parliamentary engineering” that disrespects the electorate’s decision.

They also pointed to what they termed systematic harassment of the Minority, including attempts to remove their leader from the ECOWAS Parliament and referrals to the Privileges Committee, characterizing it as “an attack on the institution of opposition itself.”

On the economic front, the Minority alleges that contractors perceived to be aligned with the NPP are being unfairly denied payment despite approved budgets, leading to business collapses and job losses. They also criticized the withdrawal of incentives for the One District One Factory initiative, resulting in factory closures and layoffs without a clear replacement policy.

Concerns were also raised about selective prosecution and excessively punitive bail conditions. The Minority claims some NPP officials are facing “economic detention” through high bail terms, while cases involving the previous administration are being dropped through nolle prosequi, which they labelled “justice by party colour.”

Youth unemployment was flagged as a significant national security threat, with 1.3 million young people neither in education, employment, nor training. The Minority warned of a potential social crisis that could fuel crime and instability.

Rising violent crime, kidnappings, and a general sense of public fear were also noted, with the Caucus stating the state is failing in its fundamental duty to protect lives and property.

Finally, the Minority expressed concerns about alleged attempts to seek a third presidential term and urged President Mahama to “publicly, unequivocally, and repeatedly” reject any such moves.

In closing, the Minority warned that Ghana stands at a critical juncture, and that history will judge the current choices. They reaffirmed their commitment to constructive engagement while vowing to utilize all constitutional and parliamentary means to defend democracy and protect the livelihoods of Ghanaians.

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