He must render an apology to the clerk of the committee

Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Bernard Ahiafor, has strongly criticised the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, for publicly chastising the clerk of the parliamentary Appointments Committee, calling the actions “uncalled for” and demanding an apology.

According to him, grievances against the clerk should be addressed through appropriate parliamentary channels, rather than public outbursts.

In a video shared on X by TV3 on February 3,2025, he said, “I know that when the clerk has done something that I am not happy about, there is a channel that I should take it to, that is, take it up with the clerk of Parliament. But not to stand before the cameras and behave like the way he did is uncalled for. He must render an apology to the clerk of the committee.

“The clerk of the committee deserves an apology because she doesn’t deserve those words to be used. If the clerk of the committee has given you a notice of a pre-sitting, which we do in the mornings before we start sitting, why will you be angry that the notice came too late? Sometimes, look at the time that we close and then we take a decision that this is what we’ll do the following day,” he added.

Ahiafor defended the clerk of the committee, highlighting the sacrifices made to ensure the smooth operation of the vetting process.

“So, I want the public to bear with the clerk that sometimes if we don’t close vetting, she also doesn’t close. If you close at 11, she’ll be closing at 11, whilst other clerks have gone home. But she will be there.

“So, she is really sacrificing for the Appointments Committee. So, instead of applauding her, we should not denigrate her before the cameras. No,” he added.

Ahiafor argued that concerns should be addressed privately and professionally, rather than making it public.

“We can invite the clerk to your office and tell the clerk that you have done ABCD. I’m not happy about this. Next time, that is not the way you should do it. But without even telling her that, then you just stand before the cameras and then be using those words. ‘You are partisan. I will deal with you.’

“I mean, how should those things come from a Member of Parliament? Deal with her how? How are you going to deal with her?” he quizzed.

Watch video below:

RAD/AE

Meanwhile, watch as Afenyo-Markin explains how he became rich below: