Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has narrated how the chiefs he invited to support him during his vetting on January 30, 2025, had to flee for their lives due to the chaos that erupted during the session.
Speaking as a witness during his turn before the special committee, he recounted that he arrived with his chiefs as a show of support, expecting to be vetted on that fateful Thursday.
However, the situation became chaotic, forcing his chiefs to flee from the venue.
He explained that they were scheduled to be vetted at 12:30 pm but ended up being vetted at 8 pm.
To their surprise, Ablakwa recounted that they were met with hostility from the Minority members, who questioned his presence and insisted that he would not be vetted.
“We expected to be vetted that evening, and we also expected that our chiefs and other eminent guests would receive an apology for the delay from 12:30 PM to 8 PM. However, to our surprise, as we entered the room, we faced hostility. The Minority members became furious when they saw me entering with my delegation. They demanded to know why I was there and insisted that I would not be vetted.
“I was really taken aback. I was surprised because I had my invitation letter, yet I was being told I was not supposed to be there. Meanwhile, members of the committee had informed me to come in. We had been waiting in a holding area, and the Chief Whip signalled that we could now proceed. When I entered, the Honorable Akandoh was about to take his turn.
“He was just about to be sworn in, and I was ushered to the third seat on my left to wait for my turn. After Honorable Akandoh, I was supposed to be vetted. Then, the hostility began, escalating into violence which was an utterly despicable scene,” Ablakwa recounted.
The North Tongu MP described the incident as both traumatizing and embarrassing for him as a member of Parliament.
He claimed that at one point, some paramount chiefs asked him if such behaviour was normal in Parliament, while another chief expressed fear for his life, prompting them to flee.
Ablakwa expressed his belief that some of these chiefs would never want to accompany him to Parliament again after what transpired that night.
“We were traumatized. I was deeply embarrassed as a member of Parliament. I recall paramount chiefs asking me, ‘Is this what you people do here? What is the meaning of this?’ One chief even told me he feared for his life. Some of them had to quickly escape because they were unsure if the violence based on the way tables were being overturned and destruction was taking place would escalate further.
“With microphones, PA systems, and other items being destroyed, some chiefs feared they might be hit and decided to flee. I am now wondering if they will ever be willing to honour an invitation to Parliament again after what happened that night.
“This incident must be condemned in no uncertain terms. Instead of apologizing for their despicable conduct and the trauma they caused to invited guests, they held a press conference the next day, falsely claiming that we had smuggled ourselves in. It was like adding insult to injury,” Ablakwa stated.
Background
On Thursday, January 30, 2025, chaos erupted in Parliament during the vetting of the Minister of Health-designate, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Minister of Foreign Affairs-designate Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
According to Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Member of Parliament for Nsawam Adoagyiri and Minority Chief Whip, the Appointments Committee had agreed to vet four nominees on that day.
However, five nominees were vetted, and two additional nominees. including the Minister of Foreign Affairs-designate, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and the Minister of Health-designate, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh were added to the list, leading to the chaos.
As a result of the conflict between the Majority and the Minority, microphones and tables were destroyed.
The Minority side was seen overturning the vetting table and destroying almost all materials on it.
Following the fracas, a special parliamentary committee, chaired by Ho West MP Emmanuel Bedzrah, was tasked with investigating the incident and submitting a report within ten days.
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