Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Foreign Affairs Minister-designate has rejected claims made by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin that he was not supposed to appear before the Appointments Committee on Thursday, January 30.

When he appeared before the Committee on Friday, January 31, Ablakwa asserted that he had been properly invited and did not “smuggle” himself into the session.

The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, earlier during a press conference said Mr Okudzeto was “smuggled” into the vetting room by the Majority members of the Appointments Committee. Mr Afenyo-Markin explained that Mr Okudzeto was not included in the list of nominees that members of the Committee agreed to vet on January 30.

Mr Ablakwa expressed his displeasure with the accusations made by Afenyo-Markin. “I am not some hooligan who will be smuggled into the Appointments Committee’s meeting to be vetted,” he stated.

He further emphasised that eminent chiefs and respected ambassadors who accompanied him for the vetting have expressed concern over the claims and questioned whether he was truly invited to the vetting session.

The Foreign Affairs Minister-designate therefore demanded an apology from Afenyo-Markin for what he described as unfounded allegations.

“We demand an unqualified apology for his acts,” Ablakwa declared, making it clear that such accusations are damaging to his reputation.

The Chairman of the Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, subsequently apologised on behalf of the Committee.