NPP And NDC MPs' Brawl Mars Appointments Committee Vettings As Parliament Property Destroyed
- Members of the Minority and Majority caucuses brawled and vandalised Parliament property during an Appointments Committee sitting
- The confusion emerged after the Minority proposed rescheduling the vetting of some nominees to January 31
- Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin accused the Clerk of the Appointments Committee of Parliament of being partisan
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Tensions flared during a session of the Appointments Committee as members of the Minority and Majority caucuses brawled and vandalised Parliament property.
The dispute centred on whether the vetting of Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa should have gone ahead at around 10 pm on January 30.
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The confusion emerged after the Minority proposed rescheduling the vetting to January 31.
The Majority MPs on the committee however wanted the vetting to continue as scheduled despite the late time.
The disagreement turned physical with Minority members disrupting the session by breaking tables and destroying microphones.
A table was broken during the chaos. Several microphones and the sound system were also damaged during the brawl.
Videos from the committee on January 31 morning show that the damaged property has been replaced.
In comments to YEN.com.gh, Reindolph Afrifa-Oware, a political analyst, criticised the lack of professionalism from the MPs at the committee.
"It's basic knowledge that politics is about interest but it's crucial for MPs to Hemaintain professionalism and decorum, especially during important proceedings like vetting sessions. Respectful dialogue and constructive debate are essential for a functioning democracy."
He expressed concern that the majority group in Parliament seemingly was trying to impose their will and this coupled with the resistance from the minority group could see more unhealthy tensions.
Afrifa-Oware stressed the need for the legislators to be more measured during the vetting process.
"Moving forward, it would be beneficial for all parties to exercise restraint and focus on the task at hand, ensuring that the vetting process is conducted smoothly and efficiently."
Accusations from Minority Leader
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin accused the Clerk of the Appointments Committee of Parliament of being partisan following the clash.
Speaking to journalists, Afenyo-Markin accused the Clerk, Gifty Jiagge-Gobah, of favouring the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs.
“The nominees—where we have to ask them questions, we do. Nothing will stop us from asking the necessary questions. It’s not every nominee; some of their nominees spent five minutes. NDC is always up to intimidating people. They think that they must always bully."
The committee has already courted controversy because of the accusations of bribery from lawyer Oliver Barker-Vormawor.
Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh and the Chief Executive of the Petroleum Commission Emeafa Hardcastle also clashed before a sitting of the committee.
Joe Wise admits Chief of Staff payments
YEN.com.gh reported that a former Appointments Committee chairman, Joseph Osei-Owusu, said its members received money from the Akufo-Addo administration Chief of Staff.
However, Osei-Owusu argued that the money received by the committee's members should not be considered a bribe.
He explained that such payments were made to facilitate their work and had nothing to do with influencing decisions.
Proofread by Samuel Gitonga, Copy Editor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh