Abla Gzifa Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts, testified before the committee investigating the chaos at the Vetting Committee that her reaction in the video was in opposition to the way Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin attacked the Committee’s Clerk, Mrs. Gifty Jiagge-Gobah.
The Minister said on that fateful day of the incident she saw the absence of tolerance, camaraderie, and respect for the institution of parliament.
According to her, she also saw total disrespect for a woman who has risen through the ranks to be the Clerk to the Committee that was vetting nominees for his Excellency the President of Ghana.
Madam Gomashie told the committee that she witnessed a woman being attacked and that the committee’s leadership failed to protect her.
‘’I saw total chaos in the committee room and the destruction of property belonging to the Republic of Ghana. That is what I saw. That is what I felt, and that is what I have come to share with you this morning.
When asked why she was at the committee meeting when she was not a member, she explained that she had received an invitation from ministers-designate Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Samuel Nartey George.
In response to what could have caused the scenario she described, the minister revealed that there was a lack of mutual respect, and the committee’s leadership could have avoided the chaotic situation.
When asked what she intended to do when she stood up, as seen in the video, she said, ‘’to defend the clerk. It was difficult to watch what was happening, and I felt helpless. I saw that she is a very calm woman. I asked her, Can you hear my side asking you to swear in honourable Akandoh? and she calmly, with poise and finesse, said, The clerk to Parliament is in the room; I take instructions from him, not from you,’’ she said this while shedding tears, adding that’it was really hard to watch; I am sorry.
She stated that her actions were not to participate in what was going on, but rather to defend a woman who was being attacked by the Minority leader.
Madam Gomashie added that it was difficult for her to watch a woman be lynched by a man who should have known better.
’I impulsively just stood up to ask him, What are you going to do? because he kept saying, I will deal with you, and because she couldn’t speak, I impulsively thought that I had become Yaa Asantewaa for a moment, and I got up to ask him what he was going to do to her because it was the right thing to do at that moment. I am not sure if I would allow myself to shout across a room like that again, but on that day it was the best I could do.’’
Source: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana