I Take Full Responsibilty for Vetting Chaos, Consider a Recession of your Decision - Afenyo-Markin Tells Speaker Bagbin

Accra, Ghana - 04 Feb, 2025 - A surprise turn of events unfolded in Ghana's Parliament as Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has taken full responsibility for the chaotic scenes that marred the vetting of ministerial nominees last week.

In a statement on the floor of Parliament on February 4, 2025, Afenyo-Markin acknowledged the disruptions that caused widespread concern and appealed to Speaker Alban Bagbin to reconsider his decision to suspend four MPs namely; Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, the Majority Chief Whip and Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Minority Chief Whip as well as Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli and Jerry Ahmed Shaib.

"Mr Speaker, I take full responsibility as a leader on my side, on all actions that took place. I will therefore conclude by inviting you, Mr Speaker, to in the circumstance and with assurance given, consider a recession of the decision you communicated to the house, as well as all consequential matters there too," he stated.

However, the apology has not quelled the tensions entirely, as the Minority protested the suspension of their members earlier in the day. The protesters, clad in red and black, demanded the reversal of the Speaker's decision.

Security was also beefed up in Parliament to prevent the four suspended MPs from entering the chamber with heavy police presence and barricades deployed around the Parliament building ahead of Tuesday's sitting.

The Speaker's actions were prompted by a violent confrontation during the vetting session on January 30, which led to the establishment of a special committee to investigate the matter. 

Source: Lead News Online