Appointments Committee Chair blames Minority for disruptions during vetting chaos

The Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, has accused the Minority Caucus of deliberately disrupting proceedings during the ministerial vetting on Thursday, January 30, 2025.  

Appearing before the committee investigating the chaos today, Mr Ahiafor stated that the Minority’s conduct that night led to the destruction of public property and created a hostile environment. 

The incident prompted Speaker Alban Bagbin to suspend four MPs and establish an investigative committee, chaired by Ho West MP Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, to probe the matter.  The suspensions were rescinded yesterday.

“I perceived members on the Minority side to be putting up an attitude that is very disruptive. For me, I find it very difficult to go back on my words having agreed with you this is what we are going to do,” Mr Ahiafor told the committee on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.  

Detailing how events unfolded, he explained that the vetting process had been programmed and agreed upon by both sides. However, he claimed the Minority received instructions to cause disruptions, which derailed the proceedings.  

“We programmed the vetting; we would all agree on the numbers. Sometimes, on the day of the vetting, instruction would be given to the clerk that the Minority would be engaged in doing one thing or the other,” he said.  

Mr Ahiafor further alleged that the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, issued direct instructions to his members, which fuelled the disturbances.  

“I heard the Minority Leader requesting that they should call some people into the vetting room, and in no time, I saw people walking into the room. That very day, the Minority Leader was so harsh to the Second Deputy Whip, Jerry Shaib. I intend not to repeat the words that were used against him,” he stated.  

He also recounted that Afenyo-Markin ordered his members to switch off all microphones, further disrupting the vetting process.  

“To some extent, I did not understand what they really wanted,” Ahiafor remarked.  

He added that tensions escalated when someone made a comment in Twi, triggering an outburst that led to the pulling of cables and a complete breakdown of order.  

“Before I could realise, somebody said something in Twi and they started pulling the cables and there was pandemonium. The whole place became very hostile. I was so much surprised by the incident of that day and I was just sitting down looking at them,” he recalled.  

The committee’s probe seeks to gather evidence, examine the circumstances leading to the chaos, and present a report to the Speaker for further action.