The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has criticized the conduct of Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, during the vetting process.
Tensions flared when Afenyo-Markin raised concerns about the appointment of Chief Executive Officers and Managing Directors, a matter which the Majority argued was not relevant to the ministerial vetting process.
The vetting of Governs Agbodza, the minister-designate for Roads and Highways, was scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM. However, due to the disagreements, proceedings were delayed and had not commenced by 11:54 AM.
The meeting was briefly suspended for five minutes in an attempt to resolve the disruptions.
Afenyo-Markin accused his colleagues on the majority side, including the Deputy Speaker, of rudeness. He slammed the chairman’s decision to proceed with the vetting after the suspension, despite the absence of the Minority members.
“Chairman, don’t raise your voice. You suspended sitting for 5 minutes. You called me, and I said I was having a meeting with my caucus. I would join you, but the next moment, you started. I want to register this protest that you have proceeded in bad faith,” Afenyo-Markin stated.
“It’s not the understanding we had. I was responding to a point of order, and you came in rudely to say you have ruled. Bring down your voice, chairman; you are raising your voice. Mr. Chairman, all your colleagues, including you, have been rude to me this morning. You have been very rude.”
“The rate at which I’m being interrupted is unacceptable. The chairman rudely interrupted me.”
Afenyo-Markin later apologized to the chair for his unparliamentary outburst.
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