Madam Gifty Jiagge-Gobah, Clerk to the Appointments Committee, has disclosed that she left the tensed Committee Session on Thursday, January 30, 2025, after receiving a direct order from her husband to exit the premises.
The Session was marked by intense conflict between the Majority and Minority Caucuses over the nominations of Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
Appearing before the Committee established by the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, on Wednesday, February 5, for the public hearing, Madam Jiagge-Gobah explained that she found herself in a difficult position, with majority members pressuring her to administer the oath to the Health Minister-designate, while the Minority opposed the move.
“They (Majority) kept screaming at me that I should let the nominee take the oath. The minority leader was also screaming at me. The video is there to prove everything,” she told the Committee.
“At the tail end, when the majority leader was trying to engage both sides, I got three calls and a message from my dear husband instructing me to leave the premises immediately; that order I took and I left,” she said.
Meanwhile, Minority Leader Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin has apologised to Madam Jiagge-Gobah for his recent outburst during a vetting session, where he accused her of alleged bias and procedural lapses.
The Minority had called for her resignation over alleged unprofessional conduct, claiming she displayed open allegiance to the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Mr Afenyo-Markin expressed regret for his remarks, admitting that his frustration led to an unprofessional reaction.
Recounting the vetting chaos, Madam Dzifa Gomashie, the Minister for Tourism said: “I saw total chaos, inability to protect the clerk.”
The incident highlights the growing tensions between the Majority and Minority Caucuses in Parliament, with concerns over the neutrality of the vetting process.
GNA
