Nothing will stop minority from asking the relevant questions – Afenyo-Markin warns as chaos erupts in parliament over vetting of Akandoh & Ablakwa

“Nothing will stop us from asking the relevant questions. NDC is always out to intimidate people but we will not allow them to have their way”. These were the words of Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, after chaos erupted at the Parliament’s Appointments Committee sitting in Accra on Thursday, January 30.

Riots
The Minority had kicked against the vetting of Kwabena Mintah Akandor, Minister-Designate for Health, and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister-Designate for Foreign Affairs, on the grounds that their members were tired and should be allowed to go home for the vetting to be done today Friday, January 31.

With the Majority disagreeing, tempers flared as the Minority members pushed down tables and destroyed communication equipment.

Ayariga intervenes
It took the intervention of the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, to calm tempers. He then said, “It is clear from the level of destruction that the vetting cannot continue. All the microphones have been destroyed. That will make it impossible for the media to carry what the nominees say to Ghanaians. Vetting is about assessing the competence of the nominees. The vetting will therefore have to be postponed to tomorrow.”

Afenyo-Markin accuses Majority
Later, Afenyo-Markin said, “You are aware that some of the nominees, we don’t even ask them questions. Where we have to ask the relevant questions, we ask. Nothing will stop us from asking the necessary questions,” he said.

He accused the Majority of attempting to intimidate the Minority, stating, “NDC is always out to intimidate people. Always bullying. They can call us a micro-minority. They can say whatever they want to say. We’ve been cooperating with them.”