Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Minority Leader, believes that poor people should not venture into politics.
According to Afenyo-Markin, politics is about giving back to the poor and helping the vulnerable.
He disclosed that a politician must be able to raise resources, or must be resourceful.
Speaking on PeaceFM, Alexander Afenyo-Markin said, “We don’t use poverty for politics. If you are a politician, you have to give. If you are a politician, you should be able to raise resources; you must be resourceful. You must have what it takes to do politics. Because politics is a public service, you are serving the vulnerable, the needy; if you don’t have you cannot engage in politics. If you don’t have some, you must be quiet.
If you are poor, you cannot do politics; if you are into politics and you are hungry, you cannot do politics.
In politics, you are feeding the hungry, you are paying hospital bills, and politics is about gathering resources to help people. If you are poor, don’t think of venturing into politics”.
Some Ghanaians reacting to Afenyo-Markin’s remarks stated, “How can u do politics if u have no money? Politics is expensive. In fact, Democracy nankasa is very expensive”.
A netizen added, “You have to make life of the people easy by doing the right things not the rubbish he’s saying about being rich. Politicians in Ghana enter politics to get rich because all they do is steal and lie”.
“So, only rich people fit enter politics? Funny how poor masses dey vote them in then! This thinking lock ordinary Ghanaians comot from their own democracy. Ɛnyɛ yie”, one X user added.
A netizen argued, “People who run NGOs usually thrive in politics. It applies to people in third world countries. You don’t have to be rich to enter politics in the Western world”.
In other news, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has blown an alarm alleging that the Mahama-led government has been awarding juiciest contracts to foreign entities rather than the indigenous Ghanaian companies.
According to Afenyo-Markin, the Mahama government must prioritise local businesses instead of foreigners.
The minority leader questioned the pattern of contract allocations, adding that a review of parliamentary records details how some of the most lucrative state contracts are being handed to foreign firms.
Speaking on Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV on April 6, 2026, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin said, “Look, when this government came into office, I won’t list them, but go to Parliament, look at the order paper. The juiciest contracts are going to foreigners. I won’t mention now… but look at the order papers from day one”.
“No one has said anything, and nobody sees anything wrong. I am not saying that a Ghanaian business must not be subjected to any scrutiny, but it is quite concerning that when a Ghanaian business is succeeding, we are up in arms against how it’s succeeding. So, we have to look at it properly,” he stated.
Afenyo-Markin added, “Mr President, I would beg of you, look critically at every single contract that gets out there and at least make sure, if not all, it should be 50-50. Mr President, we must be deliberate. Get all the ministers to be deliberate”.
“And it’s not just being a Ghanaian company, but an indigenous-owned Ghanaian company. You can have a Ghanaian company, foreign-owned. By the way, I’m not against a foreigner investing in Ghana. I am also not against foreign investment in Ghana. I am not anti-foreign investor, but what I’m saying is that we must grow our own,” he clarified.
Watch the video below:
If you are poor , don't think of venturing into politics -afenyo markin. pic.twitter.com/XNuwl1XqFl
— Dr.Joshua (@JA_AGYEKUM) May 3, 2026