The vetting for three ministerial nominees of President John Dramani Mahama, by the Appointments Committee of Parliament, on Monday, January 20, 2024, started on a fiery note.

The vetting of the Minister of Roads and Highways-designate, Kwame Governs Agbodza, who was the first to be vetted for the day, did not even start before members of the committee from the Majority Caucus and Minority Caucus were at each others' throats.

The fiery debates started due to comments made by the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, when he was given the chance to give an opening remark as the Ranking Member of the Appointments Committee.

Afenyo-Markin stated that the presidency faulted in copying the “Secretary of Cabinet” in the letter written to the Speaker of Parliament, informing him (the Speaker) of the nomination of the three men who are to be vetted.

But his comments did not sit well with the Member of Parliament of Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, who accused Afenyo-Markin of always using his position on the committee to “belittle” the presidency.

The Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, then came in and wanted to address Ayariga’s assertions that "Afenyo-Markin was belittling the presidency," but the chairman of the committee, Bernard Ahiafor, shot his attempt down, with the reason that he did not grant him the go-ahead to speak.

To continue the engagements, Bernard Ahiafor asked Afenyo-Markin to continue his opening remark, but Annoh-Dompreh insisted that he had to be given the chance to speak.

He, at a point, told Ahiafor, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, that his “opinion must be respected.”

Watch videos of the incident below:





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