Afenyo-Markin instigated vetting committee chaos – Nkwanta North MP alleges

The Member of Parliament for Nkwanta North, John Oti Bless, has given his account of what led to the chaos during the Appointments Committee sitting on Thursday, 30th January 2025.

According to him, the incident was orchestrated by the Minority Leader and MP for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who instigated members of his committee to stand their ground and refuse to reach a compromise.

He made this statement while recounting the incident when he appeared before the seven-member committee investigating the chaos on Friday February 7, 2025.

Mr Oti Bless disclosed that both the Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, and the MP for Effiduase-Asokore, Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, attempted to persuade the Minority Leader to allow the vetting of Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Health Minister-designate; however, he remained adamant.

He stated:

All the things that happened that day were caused by the Minority Leader. Why am I saying this? A leader who watches or allows his subordinates or members to vandalise and destroy public property without uttering a word or stopping them is as guilty as the members. In Parliament, we take instructions from our leadership.

He further disclosed:

The Chief Whip got involved based on instructions from his leader. I saw him telling them to listen to him and follow his instructions. That was when he got involved.

The lawmaker, however, clarified that he was not physically involved in the scuffle.

Meanwhile, the committee, chaired by Ho West MP Emmanuel Bedzrah, also took testimonies from the MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto, who disclosed that the incident left him traumatised, condemning it as a dent on Parliament’s image.

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