The Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has cautioned that persistent political interference in Ghana’s business environment is weakening investor confidence and posing a serious challenge to the country’s economic prospects.

Addressing the 2025 Kwahu Business Forum in Mpraeso on April 19, Mr Afenyo-Markin said the increasing tendency for partisan considerations to influence access to state contracts and business opportunities was eroding merit and distorting fair competition.

“The biggest problem we have as a country is our political interference in everything. And it’s killing initiative,” he told a gathering of entrepreneurs, government officials, private sector actors, and development partners.

According to the Effutu MP, such interference discourages honest effort and stifles innovation, especially among young Ghanaians who are trying to succeed without political ties.

“When everything is politicised from cocoa purchasing to road contracts to even small loans, you push away people who just want to work hard and succeed,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said.

He called on both political leaders and state institutions to act more responsibly and uphold fairness in public economic affairs. In his view, Ghana cannot nurture a thriving private sector if success is determined by connections rather than competence.

“We need to get to a point where your political background doesn’t determine your success in business. That’s the only way we can truly grow as a nation,” he added.

Mr Afenyo-Markin also advised the youth to avoid relying on political favouritism as a shortcut to wealth, warning that it only breeds inequality and resentment.

The Kwahu Business Forum, which began as a campaign initiative and has now become an annual platform, brings together stakeholders across party lines to discuss economic development in practical terms.