A member of the Appointments Committee of Parliament, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has asked the Minority Leader and Ranking Member on the Committee, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, to go to court if he has issues with the vetting and dismissal of chief executives.
Afenyo-Markin, in his opening remarks at the vetting of the Minister-designate for Roads and Highways, Governs Kwame Agbodza, on Monday, January 20, 2025, noted that the court ruling on the matter was a national issue which warranted the attention of the committee.
He resorted to reading the entire verdict given by the court on the matter. However, many of the members on the Committee disagreed with him, saying the contribution was irrelevant to the substantive matter of vetting a minister-designate.
They called on the Chairman to rule him out completely which led to a banter delaying the process for an hour.
Commenting in the heat of the debate, the South Dayi lawmaker said “there is no rule of this House that demands that the Ranking Member to the Appointments Committee must necessarily and willingly deliver an opening remark. It is not binding at all times.”
According to him, “invitation is a courtesy, so if he continues to abuse the courtesy, he has to be withdrawn. He is aggressively abusing this courtesy in a very prolong manner and I suggest that that courtesy be withdrawn so we deal with the matter at hand.”
Dafeamekpor admonished his colleague to raise whatever sentiments he had during his questions, suggesting to him to go to court to seek redress to any issues he has, either than wasting the committee’s time on them.
“If he gets his turn to ask questions, he could frame the issues he is raising in the form of a question directed at the nominee. If the nominee is minded, he will respond, if he is not, he may not answer.
“In Boyefio vs NTHC, where a procedure is provided for a thing to be done, it is that procedure that must be applied. He is using the wrong forum to deal with a matter that he thinks strongly about. He should go to court. This is not the forum conveniens,” he stated.
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