Hon. Alhassan Suhuyini, Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale North, has strongly criticized the handling of the ministerial vetting process, blaming excessive media engagements by key parliamentary decision-makers for the ongoing controversy.
According to him, instead of addressing their disagreements internally, many MPs, particularly those in leadership positions, have resorted to airing their concerns in the media, exacerbating tensions and creating an unproductive atmosphere.
Speaking on the matter, Hon. Suhuyini expressed his disappointment, arguing that the best way to resolve parliamentary disagreements is through direct engagement rather than a media “blitz” or campaign-style approach.
“Too many people in decision-making at the level of Parliament are talking too much outside the precinct of Parliament. That is making it very difficult for us to get a better approach to dealing with whatever disagreements are manifesting in public”.
Hon. Alhassan Suhuyini, MP for Tamale North
Hon. Suhuyini’s remarks come amid growing concerns over the combative tactics employed by Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader, particularly during the ongoing ministerial vetting process.
The Tamale North MP accused Afenyo-Markin of adopting an overly aggressive stance that is more about visibility and disruption than genuine scrutiny of ministerial nominees.
Afenyo-Markin’s Leadership: A Strategy or a Miscalculation?
The National Democratic Congress legislator recalled a prediction he made when the Effutu MP was first considered as the Majority Leader in the previous Parliament, stating that he believed the Effutu MP was more suited to the role of Minority Leader due to his combative and obstructionist approach to parliamentary debate.
He reiterated that Hon. Afenyo-Markin’s tactics are designed to keep his small opposition bloc in the media spotlight, rather than focusing on substantive issues affecting Ghanaians.
“He’s, somebody as I said in that prediction when the NPP in parliament over the last eight years ever had their backs against the wall can introduce sometimes very needless red herrings and hold the ground until the NPP can organize itself to determine a way forward.
“And for a minority group that is so micro, the only way to be noticed is to swing in all directions and at everything in anticipation that at least you will land something. He is like a bull in the China shop—he swings at everything and anything with the hope that he will land something good.”
Hon. Alhassan Suhuyini, MP for Tamale North
However, Suhuyini warned that this strategy is now becoming counterproductive, creating an unnecessarily chaotic environment in Parliament.
“It is getting out of hand. They are talking too much outside Parliament instead of talking to each other. I think he has carried his strength too far, and it is beginning to look very nasty and messy. Perhaps it is time for them to pull the brakes”.
Hon. Alhassan Suhuyini, MP for Tamale North
Abuse of the Vetting Process
One of Hon. Suhuyini’s key criticisms was Hon. Afenyo-Markin’s approach to questioning ministerial nominees during the vetting process.
He accused him of abusing his discretionary power as a Ranking Member of the Appointments Committee by prolonging hearings with unnecessary and often redundant questions.
He referenced Article 296 of the Constitution, which mandates that discretionary power must be exercised reasonably and responsibly. “The fact that you have the discretion to ask unlimited questions does not mean you should do so endlessly,” he cautioned.
The Tamale North MP emphasized that previous Ranking Members may have also had the opportunity to ask unlimited questions but exercised restraint, avoiding excessive delays and irrelevant queries.
“They did not hold people to ransom for hours on end asking needless questions,” he noted, suggesting that Hon. Afenyo-Markin’s approach lacks the maturity and discipline required in parliamentary proceedings.
Delusions of a “Mighty Minority”
Hon. Alhassan Suhuyini also criticized Hon. Afenyo-Markin’s repeated references to his side as a “mighty minority” while dismissing the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the “so-called majority.”
According to him, this refusal to acknowledge the NDC’s clear numerical advantage in Parliament is a fundamental flaw in Hon. Afenyo-Markin’s strategy.
“If you don’t come to terms with yourself that the NDC has a supermajority and you continue to deceive yourself that you have a mighty minority, you are going to engage in acts that will end up embarrassing you.”
Hon. Alhassan Suhuyini, MP for Tamale North
He further explained that parliamentary tradition dictates that while the minority has a right to express its views, the majority ultimately determines the outcome of legislative processes.
By overestimating the opposition’s strength, Hon. Suhuyini argued, Hon. Afenyo-Markin and his allies are setting themselves up for unnecessary confrontations that ultimately weaken their credibility and effectiveness.
In his concluding remarks, Hon. Suhuyini called on parliamentary leaders to prioritize dialogue over media engagements to resolve their differences.
He insisted that productive governance requires internal conversations among lawmakers rather than public grandstanding. “They first of all have to begin to speak to each other and reduce the media blaze that we are currently seeing,” he advised..
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