Bagbin Makes One Move Against Afenyo-Markin as Parliament Watches

A tense moment in Parliament has drawn fresh attention to the growing disagreement between Speaker Alban Bagbin and Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin after the presentation of the 2027 Budget.

A video circulating from Parliament shows Speaker Bagbin switching off Afenyo-Markin’s microphone while the Minority Leader was attempting to speak. The Speaker was heard telling him, “You’re out of order”, bringing his attempt to address the House to an abrupt end.

The incident happened after Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson presented the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy on Thursday, November 12, 2026. The presentation was expected to focus on the government’s plans for the economy, but the proceedings also exposed the sharp political divisions between the Majority and Minority.

Afenyo-Markin has been one of the leading voices questioning the government’s economic direction. After the budget presentation, he criticised the government’s claims of economic progress, arguing that the figures being presented had not brought enough relief to ordinary Ghanaians.

He described the administration as a “sloganeering government” and questioned its record on job creation, food prices and the cost of living. He also demanded clearer details about the government’s proposed New Economy programme and how it would create jobs.

The microphone incident has therefore attracted attention because it happened at a time when the Minority was already challenging the government’s budget plans and seeking answers on several national issues.

However, the available report does not provide the full exchange between Bagbin and Afenyo-Markin or explain precisely what the Minority Leader was saying immediately before his microphone was switched off. It would therefore be premature to conclude that the Speaker acted for a particular political reason.

The incident also brings attention to the difficult responsibility of presiding over parliamentary debates. The Speaker is expected to enforce parliamentary rules and ensure that proceedings remain orderly. At the same time, the Minority must have room to question government policies and hold ministers accountable.

This balance is important because Parliament is one of the main places where disagreements over national decisions are expected to be raised and debated.