The Parliamentary Appointments Committee Chairman, Bernard Ahiafor, has shared a cryptic message on social media amid recent chaos and uncertainty in the chamber following the vetting of President Mahama’s ministerial nominees.
The committee chairman has recently been in the spotlight due to disagreements between the Minority and Majority on several issues in the chamber, particularly the vetting process, which has led to physical altercations twice in Parliament, resulting in damage to tables and microphones.
On January 31, 2025, there was a heated exchange between the chairman and the Minority Leader, Afenyo-Markin, over a directive from the Speaker of Parliament.
Taking to his social media, the chairman wrote, “Give a man a long rope, and he will hang himself.”
Following the post, over 430 commenters have flocked to decode the message the chairman was putting across. This comes after the house suspended four sitting MPs for two weeks over unparliamentary behaviour.
One user commented, “I’m not sure if this will serve us well! By the time the hanging is done, the man could have succeeded in causing irreparable havoc and destruction to us, and it may be too late to amend!
“Courtesy must be reciprocated. If it fails, let’s deal with them ruthlessly and send the message across, or they will be emboldened by their unruly behaviour. Power must be controlled and well maintained! Ahiafor Bernard Esq., MP.”
Another user stated, “I know the owner of this shot fired. I’m in a car; I just reached Winneba Junction.”
“Chairman, the rope was too long. Next time, divide it into two,” another comment read.
One user explained, “This means that if you give someone enough freedom or opportunity, they will eventually make a mistake or do something that will lead to their own downfall. It’s often used to caution against giving too much power or autonomy to someone who may not be responsible or trustworthy.”
“There’s a saying that the full length of a frog is seen when it is thrown into fire… The lamentations of the grassroots are not in vain. Chairman is stretched to his full length now,” another user wrote.
“Eeeiii Chairman, we are sorry! We didn’t know your game.”
“He subtly played all of them THE ART OF WAR,” another comment suggested.
One user questioned, “Why would you, in the first place, have given that man a long rope knowing fully well he might not be in his right state of mind?”
“This proverb of yours, Chairman, unless you translate it into my local language (Ewe) for some of us to understand.”
Background
There was a heated dispute between Ranking Member, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, and Committee Chairman, Bernard Ahiafor, over a directive issued by the Speaker of Parliament during the vetting of Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Foreign Affairs Minister-nominee.
The disagreement raised questions about the validity of the committee’s quorum after the Speaker decided to reconstitute the committee, which had earlier been caught up in a chaotic session the previous night.
Afenyo-Markin expressed concerns that the Speaker’s decision had the potential to affect the legitimacy of the proceedings.
“The Speaker has issued a directive, and until there is clarity on its implications, we cannot proceed as though nothing has happened,” he argued, calling for the vetting session to be suspended until the matter was fully addressed.
However, Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader in Parliament, disagreed, dismissing the concerns about quorum.
“This directive does not affect our quorum in any way,” Ayariga countered, reinforcing the NDC’s stance that the session could continue without disruption.
In response, Chairman Ahiafor sided with the NDC members, declaring that Minority MPs who felt uncomfortable with the directive were free to leave. “If you have issues with the directive, you are at liberty to leave,” he remarked, implying that those unhappy with the changes had the option to recuse themselves.
This remark did not sit well with Afenyo-Markin, who immediately demanded a retraction.
“Mr. Chairman, withdraw that comment! If you don’t, the NPP caucus will recuse itself from this vetting process,” he insisted, making it clear that the NPP would not participate under such conditions.
Despite the demand, Ahiafor refused to back down, interpreting Afenyo-Markin’s response as a sign of his intention to step away from the session.
“If you say you are recusing yourself, I take it in good faith,” Ahiafor replied, standing firm in his position.
Meanwhile, the Minority side of the Appointments Committee has withdrawn from the vetting process of ministerial nominees expressing concerns over a previous decision by Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin that demanded the committee be reconstituted.
AM/KA
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