The vetting of the Deputy Minister-designate for the Ministry of Justice took an unexpected turn after Chairman Bernard Ahiafor and Afenyo-Markin engaged in a near verbal blow.
The Minority Leader had asked the nominee, Justice Srem-Sai, to demonstrate a dance, but the Chairman ruled that the question was out of order and that the nominee should not dance.
The Effutu MP took a swipe at the Chairman, describing his conduct as “rude, whimsical, and capricious.”
The Chairman asked him for the second time to withdraw, but again the Minority leader said he would not withdraw and insisted that the Chairman was rude, whimsical, and capricious.
Mr. Ahiafor said that, in his position as Chairman, he would not allow the leader to ask any further questions of the nominee and proceeded to acknowledge the guests and discharge the nominee.
“Honourable nominee, the question is overruled; you are not going to answer that question,” the chairman overruled.
The Minority leader responded, saying it is “whimsical” and “capricious.”
“Chairman, if you decide to be whimsical and capricious, it will not advance the work of this committee. Apart from the constitutional issues involved, it is also about our culture; we have had nominees speaking their dialect here,” Afenyo-Markin said.
“Honourable Minority Leader, I take offence from the fact that you are saying that I am being whimsical and capricious, so I will urge upon you to withdraw those words you used,” Mr. Ahiafor said.
Afenyo-Markin fired back, saying, “Chairman, I will not withdraw; you were whimsical and capricious in the way you overruled my question,” he insisted.
“You will not demonstrate any dance! This is not a demonstration forum; this is the Appointments Committee. So I insist that you withdraw the word that I am being whimsical and capricious,” the Chairman responded.
Then the Minority leader further described the decision of the Chairman as a “rude” saying, “Chairman, I will not withdraw. I am sorry, I will not withdraw. You rudely overruled me”.
“Well, to demonstrate to you that I am the chairman of this particular committee, that may be your last question,” Mr. Ahiafor concluded.
Meanwhile, the Minority side on the committee has rejected the nominee.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
