Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has warned the governing majority against taking the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) 87 MPs for granted, insisting that the Minority’s voice must be heard in Parliament.

Speaking on Joy News’ The Probe on Sunday, the Effutu MP acknowledged the difficulty of leading a smaller caucus in a chamber where the governing side has 189 MPs.

He said the Minority must work harder to ensure its concerns receive attention despite its numerical disadvantage.

“Well, it’s a very difficult one because you are in opposition, and you need to work hard with your colleagues to ensure that, notwithstanding your numbers, your voice is heard.”

Mr Afenyo-Markin said the task is made more challenging by the composition of Parliament’s leadership.

“You have a speaker who is not on your side in terms of party affiliation, and you have a first deputy who is also part of the majority, and obviously, his first mandate will be to protect his side.”

He said the situation requires the NPP caucus to adopt a deliberate approach to parliamentary business.

“So it calls for a lot of hard work, determination, and a focused strategy to make sure that you navigate well.”

Despite the current numbers, Mr Afenyo-Markin said he is not intimidated by the size of the governing majority.

He pointed to the NPP’s history in Parliament to argue that a smaller caucus can grow through sustained work.

“This is not the first time NPP is getting into the chamber with fewer numbers.”

He recalled that the NPP had 61 MPs in the Second Parliament after it did not participate in the 1992 parliamentary elections.

“You may recall that in 1992 we didn’t participate in the parliamentary elections. So, in the second parliament, we had 61, led by J. H. Mensah, and the NDC had 133.”

According to him, the party’s parliamentary fortunes improved significantly in the years that followed.

“But through their industry, by the 2000 election, that 61 increased to 102.”

He said that history gives him confidence that the current 87-member caucus can also make an impact.

“So I’m not perturbed at all by the numbers today. We’re 87. We say we are a mighty minority. We feel the might in the substance we put out, and we are not intimidated by the numbers.”

Mr Afenyo-Markin stressed that the Minority’s effectiveness should not be measured solely by its numerical strength.

“Our voice must be heard, and when people hear us, they must see substance in us.”

He said the focus, therefore, remains on ensuring the NPP caucus is heard and its contributions carry weight in Parliament.