The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) has condemned the chaos that erupted in Parliament during vetting of ministerial nominees by the Appointments Committee on Thursday, January 30, leading to property damage and suspension of proceedings.
A press statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra by the Christian Council expressed concern over the confrontations during the scheduled vetting of Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Foreign Affairs Minister-designate, and Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister-designate for Health.
Earlier proceedings had progressed smoothly until Thursday’s incident halted the vetting process.
The statement said such negative actions did not only undermine the rule of law and ethical governance principles, but also fostered a negative mindset in the country’s political activities.
“We, therefore, strongly condemn the use of violent confrontations and agitations in our national political engagements and discourses such as what happened in Parliament,” it said.
While acknowledging parliamentary privileges and immunities, the statement emphasised that those rights must be balanced with maintaining the dignity of public office.
It welcomed the “unqualified apology” issued by the Appointments Committee Chairman, Bernard Ahiafor on Friday but warned against using “violent, unconstitutional, unethical and illegitimate means” to resolve political impasses.
“What happened last Thursday at the Appointments Committee is once again highly regrettable and should not recur in Parliament nor be seen at any sphere of our national politics and governance.”
It called on the Office of the Speaker and the Majority and Minority caucuses to sustain commitment to consensus-building throughout the lifespan of the Nineth Parliament.
“The CCG wants to reiterate that nation-building is a collective responsibility for all countrymen and women,” the statement said.
The Council also urged sustainable democratic practices and proper stewardship of national resources to attain the desired development.
