The Deputy Spokesperson to President John Dramani Mahama, Shamima Muslim, has strongly criticized the attack on the clerk to the Appointment Committee by the Minority Leader, Hon Alexander Afenyo-Markin during the ministerial vetting scuffle in Parliament.
Her remarks come in the wake of a contentious confrontation between Afenyo-Markin and the clerk of the Appointments Committee, an incident she described as “blistering” and “unbecoming of a Member of Parliament.”
Speaking on the issue, Muslim noted that the attack by Afenyo-Markin, which was televised, was particularly disturbing as it occurred just a day after widespread condemnation of the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, Emefa Hardcastle’s confrontation with Majority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh.
She pointed out the sharp contrast in responses from the two major political parties, emphasizing that while the NDC publicly condemned the actions of Hardcastle, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has remained largely silent on Afenyo-Markin’s verbal attack on the parliamentary clerk.
“Watch the difference in behaviours of the NPP and NDC. When there is a problem that people agree shouldn’t have happened, NDC members on the floor of Parliament publicly condemned one of their own. A day later, we saw Afenyo-Markin attacking this clerk of Parliament in very unprintable language.”
Shamima Muslim, Deputy Spokesperson to President Mahama
Shamima Muslim further revealed that Afenyo-Markin justified his attack by alleging that the clerk was a pro-NDC operative deliberately working to disenfranchise the NPP from fully participating in the vetting process.
She questioned the plausibility of such a claim, stating, “How a clerk can do that? That one, we leave it to the public.”
MPs Must Lead by Example
The Deputy Spokesperson to President Mahama also lamented the growing tendency of MPs to disregard the ethical standards expected of them by the very citizens who elected them.
She recalled Speaker Alban Bagbin’s admonition to Parliament that “respect is earned,” reminding MPs that they must first respect themselves and the people they serve if they wish to receive respect in return.
She also referenced a report by Global InfoAnalytics, which ranked Afenyo-Markin the lowest in terms of public perception, arguing that the Minority Leader appears to prioritize internal party politics over national interests.
“He has made it clear that he is there to represent the interest of the mighty Minority and that he has the blessings of his godfathers. His accountability partners are members of his party, not Ghanaians.”
Shamima Muslim, Deputy Spokesperson to President Mahama
Shamima Muslim highlighted Afenyo-Markin’s dismissive attitude when confronted with the unfavourable assessment of his leadership, noting that he “poo-pooed” questions on the report when asked by a journalist.
According to her, this demonstrates his unwillingness to engage with critical public scrutiny, further reinforcing concerns about his leadership approach.
Acquisition of State Lands
Shamima Muslim pointed to the ongoing controversy surrounding the allegations raised by North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, regarding the acquisition of state lands by political figures.
She emphasized that these issues are not merely legal in nature but also moral and ethical concerns that require serious attention.
She challenged the NPP’s claims of being “true democrats,” accusing them of attempting to create the impression that they are more committed to democratic values while engaging in practices that contradict such claims. “NPP always tries to give us a semblance that they are the real true democrats,” she stated.
Shamima Muslim argued that instead of addressing legitimate concerns of state capture and the acquisition of state properties by politically exposed persons, some members of the NPP continue to deflect by bringing up historical references to the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) era, a move she dismissed as irrelevant in the current democratic discourse.
The parliamentary vetting process, meant to ensure transparency and accountability in government appointments, has instead been marred by accusations, political infighting, and ethical concerns.
Shamima Muslim’s strong condemnation of Afenyo-Markin’s attack on the parliamentary clerk adds to the growing calls for higher standards of conduct among MPs.
