
The Chairman of the Appointments Committee of Parliament, Bernard Ahiafor, has strongly condemned the clash between Minority and Majority MPs on January 30.
The incident, which resulted in damaged tables and microphones, has been described by Ahiafor as “unnecessary” and “uncalled for”.
“Whatever happened, I apologised the following day to Ghanaians, but it was needless, it was uncalled for,” Ahiafor said in an interview on Channel One TV’s “The Point of View” on February 3.
“This is not the first time that parliament would be vetting nominees deep into the night, sometimes we close after 12:am, and after 1:00pm. We have experienced that in this particular country.”
Ahiafor questioned why he should be expected to intervene in the dispute, stating, “Why am I expected by Ghanaians to take part in the fight? I don’t see the need for the fight in the first place, let alone talk about separating.”
The incident led to the suspension of four MPs for two weeks. In addition, Speaker Alban Bagbin has established a seven-member committee to investigate the clash and recommend sanctions.
The committee, chaired by Ho West MP Emmanuel Bedzrah, will conduct public hearings and has created a WhatsApp platform for information submissions.
Speaker Bagbin has made it clear that MPs found guilty of misconduct will be held accountable for the damages caused by the altercation.
“No public funds will be used to repair the damages,” he stated, emphasizing that the MPs responsible will be surcharged for the costs.
The committee’s findings are expected to help restore decorum and accountability in Parliament.
As the investigation continues, Ghanaians are eagerly awaiting the outcome and hoping for a return to peaceful and productive parliamentary proceedings.