Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu and Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has reiterated that he is both a Freemason and a Roman Catholic, emphasizing that this dual identity has shaped his values, particularly in valuing friendships and keeping one’s word.
In a February 2024 interview on Citi TV, Afenyo-Markin addressed the debate surrounding his affiliations within the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He highlighted that his faith allows him to be fair to all, citing his support for both Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia in the NPP’s presidential primary.
“It was a very difficult moment for me, Ken and I were Bawumia and out of the blue, he informed me that ‘Alex I want to contest.’
“I am a Freemason and a Catholic… I know how to respect friendship and if I give a word to a brother, I have to keep it,” he said in relation to backing Bawumia because of an earlier commitment.
During the primaries, Afenyo-Markin assumed an adjudication role, which precluded him from openly campaigning for either candidate. Despite this, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia emerged as the winner.
This is not the first time Afenyo-Markin has discussed his membership in Freemasonry. In a 2016 appearance on the Starr Chat show with Bola Ray, he stated that the teachings and values of Freemasonry did not conflict with his Catholic principles and upbringing.
“I am a mason and I have not been sanctioned by the Catholic Church. Freemasonry is a fraternal society that believes in God Almighty and follows certain principles that guide a man’s life and it does not run counter with my beliefs as a Catholic. President Kufuor is a mason and a Catholic,” he stated.
In 2022, a Suffragan Bishop and a leading theologian of the Catholic Church in Ghana rejected Afenyo-Markin’s assertion, stating that he could not be a Freemason and remain a Catholic without defying eleven Popes.
Freemasonry is comprised of fraternal organizations tracing their origins to local fraternities of stonemasons, which regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their relationships with authorities and clients starting in the late 14th century.
The fundamental unit of organization in Freemasonry is the Lodge.