Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has reaffirmed his side’s commitment to holding nominees accountable during the vetting process, despite Thursday evening’s chaotic scenes at the Appointments Committee.
Speaking after the heated session, the Effutu MP insisted that the Minority would not be intimidated into silence.
“We have to ask the relevant questions. Some of the nominees, we don’t even ask them questions, but where we have to, nothing will stop us from asking the necessary questions,” he declared.
He accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) members on the committee of attempting to bully and intimidate the Minority.
“NDC is always out to intimidate people, always bullying. They can call us ‘micro minority,’ they can say whatever they want, but we have been cooperating with them,” he stated.
Detailing what he described as a breach of protocol, Afenyo-Markin claimed that the committee’s usual process was not followed.
“Today, we agreed to do three [nominees]. The committee is on a partisan track. Indeed, she is a typical NDC. She agrees with them and then advertises and informs people to come.
“The practice has always been that the chairman and ranking would agree on who will come. Yesterday, there was no agreement. The chairman was with me, no meeting. Then, at 10 pm, they advertised for 10 this morning.”
The Minority Leader alleged that decisions on the number of nominees to be vetted kept changing.
“My deputy was here. They had a pre-sitting and agreed on three. Later in the afternoon, they said four. Then, again, they said, ‘Oh, let’s compromise on one more.’ We said okay, and they made it five. But just as we finished the three, we realised they had paraded several other nominees, thinking we would boycott. We will not boycott,” he vowed.
Despite the disruptions, Afenyo-Markin maintained that the Minority was determined to carry out its duty.
“Nothing will stop us from asking the relevant questions,” he reiterated.
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