Ghana’s Parliament erupted into a chaotic brawl late Thursday night as lawmakers physically clashed over the vetting of new ministerial nominees, turning the chamber into a battleground.
The heated session, which was meant to be a formal review of ministerial appointees, quickly descended into pandemonium, with MPs shoving, shouting, and overturning furniture. Microphones and tables were damaged in the fracas, forcing police intervention to restore order, according to a report by BBC.
The vetting committee session was initially convened to assess three National Democratic Congress (NDC) nominees following the party’s victory over the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the December elections. However, tensions flared when NDC MPs accused NPP parliamentary leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, of deliberately prolonging the questioning of nominees in a calculated attempt to frustrate the process.
At the center of the dispute was Samuel Nartey George, the communications minister-designate, who faced a marathon five-hour grilling by NPP lawmakers. His party colleagues viewed this as a political vendetta, allegedly orchestrated to force him into retracting past criticisms of former President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia.
The standoff boiled over into physical confrontations, with MPs engaging in a free-for-all melee, flipping furniture and damaging parliamentary property. Security personnel rushed in to separate the feuding lawmakers and prevent further destruction.
Apologies and Justifications
On Friday morning, the vetting committee’s chairman issued a public apology to Ghanaians, calling the incident “totally unacceptable” and pledging to restore decorum in future proceedings.
However, Afenyo-Markin defended his party’s actions, insisting that parliamentary traditions allow lawmakers to thoroughly scrutinize presidential nominees without time limits. He accused the NDC of attempting to manipulate the process, stating:
“The opposition must understand that thorough vetting is essential for transparency. No nominee should expect an easy ride.”
This latest parliamentary brawl highlights the deepening rift between Ghana’s two major political parties, as the NDC seeks to assert control after its electoral victory, while the NPP fights to retain influence.
With the stakes high and tensions still simmering, many fear that Ghana’s political atmosphere could become even more volatile in the coming months.
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