By Valentia Tetteh
The Member of Parliament for Nkwanta North, Mr. John Oti Bless, has accused the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin of deliberately instigating chaos during the ministerial vetting process, alleging that he directed Minority members on the Appointments Committee to disrupt proceedings.
Tensions erupted between the Minority and Majority members on Thursday, January 30, over the vetting of Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, culminating in a heated standoff. The disagreement centered on whether to continue the session as scheduled or reschedule it to Friday, January 31. While the Majority pushed forward with the process, the Minority insisted on postponement.
The dispute soon escalated into a physical altercation, with committee members reportedly dismantling tables and disconnecting microphones in an attempt to derail proceedings.
Testifying before the investigative committee on Friday, February 7, Mr. Oti Bless alleged that the disruptions were not spontaneous but rather a coordinated effort led by the Minority Chief Whip, Mr. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, under the directives of the Minority leader Mr. Afenyo-Markin.
“Before the incident occurred, Dr. Afriyie approached the Minority Leader for Akandoh to be vetted, but the Minority ignored him. The Minority Chief Whip also wanted Akandoh to be vetted, but the Minority Leader rejected their request and stated that whatever would happen should happen. I was watching them,” he recounted.
According to Oti Bless, the refusal to proceed with the vetting was a deliberate strategy to create disorder and stall the process. His testimony adds a new dimension to the ongoing probe into the chaos that disrupted the vetting, as the investigative committee continues to gather evidence.
The committee is expected to present its findings within 10 days, as Parliament seeks to address the tensions surrounding the ministerial vetting process.
