Parliamentary proceedings on the 2026 National Security Council budget were briefly disrupted on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, when Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin raised concerns over a GH₵4 billion allocation linked to the expanded national security role of the Ministry of the Interior.
The report from the Committee on Security and Intelligence was eventually laid before Parliament, following initial objections from the Minority. The Speaker of Parliament confirmed the formal presentation of the report, allowing debate to continue.
Earlier in the session, Afenyo-Markin had expressed dissatisfaction with the introduction of additional budget documents, claiming the Minority had not been notified or provided with copies of an addendum related to the Ministry of the Interior’s new mandate. He questioned the sudden appearance of these documents during parliamentary proceedings.
In his address to the House, Afenyo-Markin criticized the Interior Minister, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, for presenting new documents that had not been circulated beforehand. He described this action as a breach of parliamentary practice and a failure to consult adequately with the Minority.
The Minority Leader also accused Minister Muntaka of evading accountability over the GH₵4 billion allocation. He suggested that the Minister’s silence on the matter was intentional, given the significant amount involved, and emphasized that such a large figure warranted a detailed explanation.
As tensions escalated, Speaker Bernard Ahiafor intervened multiple times, urging Members of Parliament to refrain from debating the report until it had been properly laid before the House. He called for restraint and adherence to parliamentary procedures.
Afenyo-Markin also cautioned the Majority against sidelining the Minority in the budget process, warning that attempts to create a "one-sided Parliament" would invite scrutiny from civil society organizations.
Proceedings resumed once the Chairman of the Committee on Security and Intelligence formally laid the report on the 2026 National Security Council budget estimates, clearing the way for further distribution to Members and continued parliamentary deliberations.
Source: MyNewsGH.com
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