Kwame Governs Agbodza, Minister for Roads and Highways, has revealed that some invitees attending the ministerial nominee vetting were forced to sleep in open spaces around Parliament following the chaotic scenes on January 30.
Speaking on February 5 during his testimony before the parliamentary committee investigating the disruptions, Agbodza explained that the confusion surrounding the vetting process led to the failure of the Appointments Committee to review all the scheduled nominees that day.
“It was a very difficult situation,” Agbodza said. “I can tell you that some of the invitees slept in open spaces around Parliament on that day.” He added that some had to seek refuge in the offices of other MPs, as there were no available hotels due to the large number of guests. “I saw some of them entering bathrooms in the morning,” he continued. “This was something the committee leadership should have considered in advance.”
Agbodza also mentioned that one nominee had brought nearly a hundred opinion leaders and chiefs, who were left stranded when the vetting was abruptly postponed. The minister suggested that the decision to vet all ten nominees that day was partly due to the fact that many guests had travelled long distances and had nowhere else to stay.
The chaos on January 30 erupted when the minority MPs opposed the vetting of more than five nominees. The disagreement led to verbal confrontations and the destruction of furniture in the vetting room. The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, condemned the incident and suspended four MPs involved, although their suspensions were later lifted following appeals from both the majority and minority leaders.
The ongoing investigation, led by MP Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, aims to gather evidence and provide a report to the Speaker for further action.
Source:TheDotNews