A photo collage of Emeafa Hardcastle and Frank Annoh-Dompreh
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, has strongly criticised the actions of the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, Emeafa Hardcastle,
during the sitting of the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.
Speaking on the Floor of the House, he called for a more conciliatory approach, emphasising dialogue and the opportunity for Emeafa Hardcastle to offer a public apology.
“We are appealing to the Speaker to give us an opportunity to engage her and to request her to apologise to the Minority Chief Whip,” he stated.
The Majority Leader appealed for a reconsideration of invoking provisions under Orders 33, 34, 31, and 48 of Parliament’s Standing Orders, emphasising the need for reconciliation.
“The appeal that has been made by our side is that we give the lady an opportunity to apologise publicly to the Minority Chief Whip and plead with the Minority Chief Whip to pardon her and let the matter end there”, he noted.
The Majority Leader further cautioned against hastily concluding that Emeafa’s actions amounted to contempt, stressing that the situation was still under investigation.
“Let’s be mindful of what actually is contempt. Let’s be mindful of at what point somebody can be said to be in contempt. At this stage, let it not be captured in our official records that we in this House concluded that she is in contempt,” he added.
Ayariga’s comments came in the wake of a heated altercation between Emeafa Hardcastle and the Member of Parliament of Nsawam Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, during a sitting of the Appointments Committee on January 28, 2025.
The altercation escalated when Hardcastle referred to the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) caucus as a “micro minority,” leading to a back-and-forth that included accusations of disrespect.
JKB/AE
Watch as Frank Annoh-Dompreh cries to Speaker of Parliament over clash with Emeafa Hardcastle
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