Afenyo-Markin calls for renewed commitment to Justice D. F. Annan's democratic legacy

Minority Leader Osahen Alexander Afenyo-Markin has called on Ghanaians, political leaders, and state institutions to honour the legacy of the late Justice Daniel Francis Annan by recommitting themselves to the democratic principles he championed during his lifetime.

Delivering a statement on the floor of Parliament to mark the 20th anniversary of the passing of Ghana's first Speaker of Parliament under the Fourth Republic, Mr. Afenyo-Markin said Justice Annan's life and service remain a benchmark for impartial leadership, constitutional governance, and nation-building.

According to him, Justice Annan demonstrated that national institutions function best when those entrusted with leadership place the national interest above partisan considerations.

"Justice Annan did not lead a government department; he led a Parliament that belonged to every Ghanaian, on every side," he said.

The Minority Leader stressed that the late Speaker set a standard that should continue to guide present and future holders of public office.

"That is the measure he set, and it is the measure by which history will judge whether we were worthy successors, or merely occupants, of the offices he once dignified," he stated.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin praised Justice Annan's fairness in presiding over parliamentary proceedings, noting that his decisions were guided by the Constitution rather than political affiliations.

He argued that such impartiality is increasingly necessary at a time when democratic institutions across parts of West Africa face growing political pressure and democratic backsliding.

According to him, Justice Annan's approach stands in sharp contrast to situations where Speakers or public officials become instruments of executive influence.

Reflecting on the former Speaker's commitment to accountability, the Minority Leader recalled Justice Annan's willingness to engage directly with citizens through initiatives such as the "Parliament in Retrospect" lectures.

He said the example underscores the need for public office holders to remain accountable to the people rather than allow wealth or political influence to determine access to leadership.

"We must ensure that answerability to the people is never displaced by money, and that access to power is always earned through service, never purchased," he said.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin further noted that Justice Annan firmly believed that even Parliament remained subject to constitutional oversight, including review by the Supreme Court where necessary.

He said this reflected the fundamental democratic principle that no institution or individual is above the law.

Commenting on political developments across the continent, the Minority Leader expressed concern about the resurgence of military coups and the growing influence of money in politics, warning that both threaten public confidence in democratic governance.

"Ghana owes Justice Annan's memory nothing less than the deliberate practice of the enduring standards he quietly but elegantly modelled. I dare say that in more ways than one, he was the standard," he stated.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin described Justice Annan as one of the principal architects of Ghana's Fourth Republic, noting that although two decades have passed since his death, his contributions continue to shape the country's democratic institutions.

He said that as the first Speaker under the 1992 Constitution, Justice Annan did more than preside over parliamentary proceedings; he established traditions, strengthened Parliament's constitutional role, and helped build the institutional culture that has sustained Ghana's democracy.

At a time when constitutional democracies are increasingly being tested around the world, he said Justice Annan's leadership offers enduring lessons in integrity, restraint, and commitment to public service.

Quoting former United States President Theodore Roosevelt, Mr. Afenyo-Markin said history ultimately remembers those who devote themselves to worthy causes rather than those who merely criticise from the sidelines.

"Justice Annan belonged to that tradition as he accepted the difficult responsibility of leading a Parliament whose future was uncertain, and he did so with quiet confidence, intellectual discipline and unwavering respect for the Constitution," he said.

The Minority Leader recalled that when the Fourth Republic was inaugurated in January 1993, many doubted whether democratic governance would endure after years of military rule.

He said Justice Annan answered the nation's call by returning from retirement as a distinguished jurist to become the country's first Speaker under the new constitutional order.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin also reflected on Ghana's history of repeated military interventions, which led to the dissolution of successive legislatures between 1966 and 1981.

"Justice Annan broke that pattern. Under his stewardship, and that of those who followed him, the Fourth Republic has since sustained nine Parliaments, and counting," he said.

He added that Justice Annan not only presided over Parliament but also shaped its identity by instilling respect for parliamentary procedure, constitutionalism, and institutional independence.

Recalling one of Justice Annan's lectures on the powers, privileges, and immunities of Parliament, Mr. Afenyo-Markin noted that the former Speaker consistently maintained that Parliament must remain "a master of its own procedures," a principle he said remains central to Ghana's democratic governance today.