The Clerk to Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Gifty Jiagge-Gobbah, has revealed that her husband instructed her to leave Parliament on the night of Thursday, January 30, when chaos erupted during proceedings.
Testifying before the investigative committee probing the disturbances, she recounted the tense moments that unfolded during the vetting process.
“On that fateful Thursday, we had commenced proceedings, but they were disrupted. The members then went into a conclave in the Director of Protocol’s office to agree on how to proceed,” she stated.
She explained that before the meeting resumed, she had received various instructions from both the Chairman of the Committee and the Minority Chief Whip, which she duly communicated.
During the vetting of Mr. Nikpe, she noticed growing disorder in the chamber. As Clerk, she felt responsible for ensuring proper procedures were followed. She was then alerted that one of the glass doors had been broken and quickly informed the Parliamentary Marshal.
However, sensing rising tension, she said she felt uneasy and decided to call her boss, the Clerk to Parliament.
“In my spirit, I wasn’t feeling right, so I called my boss and pleaded with him to come. Within a few minutes, he arrived, and I briefed him on what was going on,” she said.
Shortly after, she was summoned by the Chairman to swear in Mr. Akandoh. However, as she awaited further directives, she found herself caught in the middle of the turmoil.
“That was when the insults started. I was standing there, shocked at what was happening,” she recalled.
As the shouting intensified, members demanded that she proceed with the swearing-in.
“They were screaming at me, but I needed a directive from my boss. If I didn’t get instructions, I couldn’t proceed,” she explained.
Overwhelmed by the situation, she began to feel uncomfortable. Then, she received urgent messages from her husband.
“At the tail end, when the Majority 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 adhered to, and I left,” she stated.
Following her testimony, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, directed the investigative committee to suspend its sitting.