The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has defended his approach to holding government accountable, insisting that cordial relationships with ministers do not compromise his oversight responsibilities.

He maintained that parliamentary scrutiny is rooted in policy and ideology, not personal friendships.

According to him, maintaining good personal relations across the political divide is important, but it does not mean the Minority will “sleep over the job”.

“I always tell my colleagues in government, do your work well, let me do mine. Let’s keep good relationships, but the work must be done. So it is not about taking tea with you, and because we are friends, I come and sleep over the job,” he stated.

Mr Afenyo-Markin cited the handling of the Ewoyaa Lithium Agreement as a clear example of principled opposition.

He recalled that the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, defended the deal in Parliament despite concerns raised by the Minority and Samuel Abu Jinapor about alleged loopholes.

“It is not about your person, it is a policy failure,” he said he told the Minister, adding that it was only after civil society organisations, including IMANI Africa, escalated the matter that the agreement was eventually withdrawn.

“How do you expect us to be quiet? Once we are on the floor, we have our own ideological differences. You are in government; my job is to scrutinise yo,u and I make sure that in the end I don’t get personal,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said in an interview on Channel One TV on February 16.