The Minority Caucus in Parliament has decided to withdraw from the Adhoc Committee probing the chaos that occurred at the sitting of the Appointments Committee on January 30 and 31, 2025.
According to them, until Speaker Alban Bagbin responds to calls for the removal of Emmanuel Bedzrah (MP) as chairman of the committee, they will not be a part of it.
In a memo addressed to the chairman of the committee, Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, said, “Given the significance of the issues raised (in our memo to the Speaker), the Minority caucus considers it prudent to await the Speaker’s response before taking any further steps in relation to the committee’s work.”
The minority added that their decision should not be misinterpreted as their unwillingness to engage with the Committee.
“Rather, it is a necessary step to ensure that due process is followed and the process remains fair, impartial and credible,” the Minority Leader stated, expressing confidence Speaker Bagbin will address their concerns to uphold the integrity of the Committee’s work.
In his earlier memo addressed to the Speaker on February 7, 2025, the Minority had accused the chairman of the committee of bias and demanded his removal.
“Bedzrah’s public pronouncements have created a perception of bias, particularly against the Minority, and have compromised the credibility of the committee’s work,” Mr Afenyo-Markin had stated in his memo.
Afenyo-markin argued the request for Emmanuel Bedzrah’s removal was not an attempt to override the Speaker’s authority, but a necessary corrective measure to “restore faith in the process and ensure that justice is done fairly”.
The Adhoc Committee was put together to probe the chaos that resulted in the damaging of tables and telecommunication gadgets, over the vetting of some ministerial nominees.
