The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has referred the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, to the Privileges Committee of Parliament for attending an ECOWAS Parliament meeting when he wasn't named in Ghana’s official delegation.
This was after the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, had cited Afenyo-Markin for contempt of Parliament and called for his referral to the Privileges Committee for disciplinary action.
Speaker Bagbin, in his ruling on Thursday, November 27, said, “Having reviewed the complaints, the standing orders, and the governing principles, I am satisfied that the matter raised prima facie implicates the dignity and institutional integrity of this house. Pursuant to order 34 (1), I therefore refer the matter, the complaint lodged by the Honourable Member for Bawku Central and the Majority Leader to the committee of privileges and immunity for examination, inquiry, investigation and report to the House.
“The committee is directed to one; ascertain the relevant facts to the complaints, including the action taken by the House and the honourable member concerned two; Review those actions taken within the framework of our standing orders and the applicable protocols of the ECOWAS parliament, three; determine whether the conduct is established constitutes contempt of parliament or a breach of privilege under orders 30 and 31. and four; make appropriate recommendations to the House for its consideration.”
The Speaker added The dignity of parliament rests on the shared commitment of members to respect its decisions and uphold the integrity of its processes. Allegations that a member has disregarded a decision of this house must therefore be examined with fairness, constitutional fidelity and a clear regard for the institutional independence of parliament. I urge the committee to discharge its mandate with diligence, impartiality and decorum, ensuring that all parties are given a fair hearing. Until the committee completes its inquiry and reports to the house, I urge honourable members to refrain from public commentary on this matter in order to preserve the dignity and unity of this house.”
Afenyo-Markin had participated in the ECOWAS Parliament session in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, from September 25 to 28, 2025, despite his removal from Ghana’s official delegation to the regional body.
Raising the matter in Parliament on Tuesday, Ayariga cited Order 31(O) of the Standing Orders, which describes contempt as any act or omission that affronts the dignity or authority of Parliament or brings its name into disrepute.
He argued that by attending the session after being excluded, the Minority Leader had “clearly affronted the authority of Parliament” and must be held accountable.
Ayariga recalled that Parliament, on July 22, 2025, passed a resolution affirming Ghana’s representation to the ECOWAS Parliament — a resolution that expressly excluded Afenyo-Markin. The decision, he said, was formally communicated to ECOWAS.
“When our delegation arrived in Port Harcourt, they found the Honourable Alexander Afenyo-Markin already seated and refusing to step aside as directed by this Parliament,” Ayariga recounted.
“His action led to ECOWAS initially refusing to swear in Ghana’s delegation until the issue was resolved,” he added.