Dr. Jonathan Asante Otchere, a political analyst at the University of Cape Coast, has described as “unfortunate, appalling and embarrassing”, the chaos that marred the vetting process in Parliament on Thursday.
He has condemned the Minority members on the committee for indulging in such acts, saying their action is unpardonable and must be censured in no uncertain terms.
“It is quite embarrassing, it is very appalling that we keep witnessing this sort of thing at the vetting committee level. I think it is quite unfortunate that we have gotten to this level,” he said on Ghana Tonight on TV3 Thursday, January 30, 2025.
His comments follow the clash between members of the Minority and Majority on the Appointments Committee of Parliament that produced chaotic scenes at Thursday night’s vetting session.
Amid the chaos that erupted over the disagreement to continue with the process, members of the Minority caucus on the Committee broke down some of the tables at the Committee’s hearing room and destroyed some of the microphones that were being used for the ministerial screening.
The cause of the confusion, was that, the Minority members on the Committee had opposed to the vetting of two more ministerial nominees who were to be vetted –Kwabena Mintah Akandoh for Health, and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa for Foreign Affairs.
According to the Minority, the Committee was supposed to vet three nominees initially, which was increased to five upon a plea by the Chairman, saying they had piled up more nominees to be vetted after dealing with the agreed number.
Meanwhile, the Minority Leader, who is the Ranking Member on the Committee, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, had spent three hours on one nominee, Samuel Nartey George, the Minister-designate for Communication. This, is what many believe caused unnecessary delay at the vetting.
Dr. Asante Otchere, in his comments blamed the Chairman’s magnanimity, saying that is what led to the chaos in the House, leading to the Minority caucus destroying assets at the cost of the tax payer.
He disclosed that the Chairman’s unqualified generosity festered Afenyo-Markin’s unfettered access to single-handedly spend three hours on a single nominee.
“And it is because of the magnanimity of the Chairman that all these things have come about.
“Because I have listened to all sides and I think that the minority, so to speak, inasmuch as they might have compromised along the way, I think what they have done is very unpardonable. They will have to be condemned in no uncertain terms,” he added.
Political analyst blames chaos at Appointments Committee on Ahiafor’s magnanimity
