Chaos erupted in Ghana’s parliament late on Thursday night as lawmakers engaged in pushing, shoving, and destroying furniture during a heated vetting session for ministerial appointments.
Police were called in after lawmakers damaged tables and microphones amid mounting tensions. The vetting committee had been deeply divided, with some accusing opposition lawmakers of deliberately prolonging the process to settle political scores.
On Friday morning, the committee’s chairman apologised to the Ghanaian public, calling the incident “totally unacceptable.”
The session had been convened to vet three ministerial nominees from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), following the party’s victory over the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in December’s elections. However, tensions escalated when NDC lawmakers accused NPP parliamentary leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin of excessively grilling communications minister-designate Samuel Nartey George.
The vetting of George alone lasted over five hours, leading many NDC members to believe it was an act of retaliation. They alleged that opposition lawmakers sought to pressure George into retracting past criticisms of former President Nana Akufo-Addo and ex-Vice President Mahamadu Bawumia, both of the NPP.
As frustrations boiled over, committee members began shouting, pushing one another, and overturning tables. The session was ultimately adjourned until Friday.
Defending the scrutiny, Afenyo-Markin insisted parliamentary customs permitted thorough questioning of nominees “without limit.” He accused the NDC of attempting to disrupt the vetting process.
The adjourned session is expected to resume amid heightened political tensions.