The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has strongly condemned the attack on the Clerk to the Appointments Committee, Gifty Jiagge-Gobah.
His remarks follow an outburst by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who, during a live televised session last week, accused Gifty Jiagge-Gobah of partisanship.
He alleged that she was working in favour of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the Appointments Committee’s vetting of ministerial nominees on Thursday, January 30.
This accusation triggered a brawl, leading to chaos that disrupted the vetting process.
The Minority Leader further attributed the parliamentary disorder to the Clerk’s handling of the ministerial vetting process, citing a series of miscommunications and procedural lapses.
Mr Afenyo-Markin expressed frustration over how she scheduled and announced the vetting of nominees.
In response to the incident, Speaker Alban Bagbin suspended four MPs and directed the Clerk to lodge a formal complaint with the police.
Speaking on the matter in Parliament on Tuesday, February 4, Speaker Bagbin expressed his displeasure over the attacks on the Clerk to the Appointments Committee.
“As the Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Parliamentary Service Board, I strongly condemn that incident,” he stated.
He stated that the Clerk is a public servant and should not be blamed for the failure of Committee members to resolve their differences.
“This Clerk has worked with us for 19 good years, and she is one of the best Clerks we have had,” he added.
The Speaker clarified that a Clerk to a Committee serves as the chair of the committee’s secretariat and acts as the procedural and technical advisor to both the chairperson and committee members.
Citing Order 266 (3) of the Standing Orders of Parliament, he explained that a committee must convene to consider business at a date and time determined by its chairperson.
“It is the duty of the Clerk to the Committee to transmit the notice of the meeting in accordance with the instructions of the chair and the provisions of Order 270(1)(b),” he stated.
“Therefore, any displeasure by a member on the date, hour of business of consideration at a committee ought to properly be directed at the chair and not the Clerk to the Committee who is duty bound under the said Order to transmit notices and to organise meetings.”
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