Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has alleged that the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) team, led by Foreign Affairs Minister-Designate and Minority Leader, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, conducted drone surveillance over his private properties.
Speaking on JoyNews’ The Probe on Sunday, February 2, 2025, Mr. Afenyo-Markin claimed that he had been aware of the aerial monitoring for some time but chose not to speak publicly about it. He insisted that his assets were legally acquired and expressed concern over what he described as an invasion of privacy.
“I was aware that these ORAL guys were flying drones in Winneba over my property. I kept quiet. They went to my beachfront property and flew a drone there. My boy saw it, but I told them to ignore it,” he said.
He further alleged that the surveillance extended beyond Winneba to his residence in Abelenkpe, Accra.
“In Abelenkpe, you wake up in the morning and see drones flying. Policemen have seen it and informed me, but I told them to ignore it. Sometimes, early in the morning, we see drones behind the rail line, clearly spying on my house,” he claimed.
The accusations come just days after Mr. Ablakwa disclosed details about Mr. Afenyo-Markin’s assets during his vetting on Friday, January 31, 2025. Prior to the vetting, the Majority Leader said he had advised Mr. Ablakwa to be cautious in his statements, but he alleged that the ORAL team continued its surveillance efforts.
Responding to allegations that some of his properties in Winneba belong to the state, Mr. Afenyo-Markin dismissed the claims as false.
“The gentleman brought a search report and created the impression that my lands in Winneba are state lands. With the greatest respect, they are not,” he stated.
As of now, Mr. Ablakwa and the ORAL team have not officially responded to the allegations. However, the claims are likely to further heighten tensions between the Majority and Minority caucuses in Parliament.
This latest development adds to the growing political debate over asset recovery and transparency, with both sides accusing each other of misconduct.
Source – GBC
