The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, voiced his dissatisfaction with the actions of Bernard Ahiafor, Chairman of the Appointments Committee, during a tense vetting session for ministerial nominees.
The disagreement centered around Afenyo-Markin’s concerns about discussing the appointments of Chief Executive Officers and Managing Directors. The Majority argued that such matters were outside the scope of the committee’s work, sparking contention.
The vetting of Kwame Governs Agbodza, the minister-designate for Roads and Highways, was scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM but faced delays due to disagreements. By 11:54 AM, proceedings had yet to commence, prompting a brief five-minute suspension to address the disruptions.
Despite the pause, tensions remained high. Afenyo-Markin accused the chairman of acting in bad faith by resuming the session during the suspension, claiming Minority members were not present at the time.
“Chairman, don’t raise your voice,” Afenyo-Markin asserted during the exchange. “You suspended sitting for five minutes, and I informed you I was in a meeting with my caucus. Yet, the session resumed without my knowledge. I want to register my protest against this bad faith.”
He further criticized Ahiafor and other members of the committee, alleging rude behavior and frequent interruptions. “The rate at which I’m being interrupted is unacceptable. The chairman rudely interrupted me,” he remarked.
In response to objections regarding his remarks, Afenyo-Markin later apologized for his outburst.