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Run-down of the Minority and Majority MPs Clash
Tensions ran high during a dramatic session of the Appointments Committee as Minority and Majority MPs clashed over the vetting of Ministers-designate for Health and Foreign Affairs, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on Thursday night, January 30.
The heated disagreement erupted when the Minority pushed for the vetting to be postponed to Friday, citing concerns over the day’s long proceedings. However, the Majority rejected this outright, insisting that the process must proceed as planned.
As the standoff escalated, tempers flared, leading to an all-out confrontation. In a bid to disrupt proceedings, some Minority members reportedly smashed tables and microphones, bringing the session to a chaotic halt. Meanwhile, the Majority MPs stood their ground, arguing that the committee was merely following its agreed-upon schedule and should not be forced into delays.
Security personnel were called in to manage the rising tensions, but the disagreement persisted. The Minority maintained that an earlier agreement had limited the vetting to four nominees for the day, insisting that any further vetting would violate this understanding. The Majority, however, refused to back down, leading to a complete breakdown of proceedings.
What Now?
In the wake of the disorder, the Appointments Committee was forced to postpone the vetting of Akandoh and Ablakwa to today, January 31.
The disruption came after an already grueling day of vetting, which concluded with the Minister-designate for Transport, Joseph Abukari Nikpe, at around 10:00 PM on January 30. While NDC MPs on the committee pushed for the process to continue, their NPP counterparts resisted, citing exhaustion and procedural concerns.
In an unprecedented turn, NPP MPs placed chairs on tables in an attempt to block further proceedings. The resulting chaos led to extensive damage, with committee equipment, including microphones, left in shambles.
“It is clear from the level of destruction that the vetting cannot continue. All the microphones have been destroyed. That will make it impossible for the media to carry what the nominees say to Ghanaians,” said Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga.
He further confirmed that the vetting would resume today in a new venue. “Vetting is about assessing the competence of the nominees. The vetting will therefore have to be postponed to tomorrow,” he stated.
As the nation watches, today’s vetting session is set to proceed under heightened tensions, with concerns that another political showdown could derail the process once again.
By Ruth Sekyi – ABC News Gh
