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Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has disclosed that he made efforts to mediate between members of the Appointments Committee before tensions erupted into chaos during the ministerial vetting on Thursday, January 30.
Appearing before Parliament’s Special Committee investigating the incident, Ayariga revealed that he engaged both majority and minority members in an attempt to reach a compromise.
However, despite his interventions, both sides remained firm in their positions, leading to a violent disruption that resulted in the destruction of parliamentary property.
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The dispute originated from the majority caucus’s decision to proceed with the vetting process despite the minority’s formal request to postpone it to Friday, January 31.
The refusal to accommodate the request led to heightened frustrations, culminating in an outburst of protests, including the vandalisation of microphones and tables.
Ayariga explained that the nominees had arrived early in the day with their families and traditional leaders, waiting throughout the proceedings.
Given the circumstances, he noted that asking them to leave and return the next day would have been highly inconvenient.
“I spoke to both sides and tried to convince them, but each side was adamant,” he stated. “The pressure was coming from the fact that the nominees had been scheduled for that day, and they had been present with their families and traditional leaders since morning. The majority side found it difficult to ask them to leave after waiting all day.”
He emphasised that the decision to proceed with the vetting was not necessarily due to numerical advantage but rather the logistical and social challenges posed by postponing the session.
The incident, which saw heated exchanges and damage to parliamentary assets, has raised concerns about the growing tensions within the legislature.
The Special Committee continues its investigations into the events of January 30, seeking to establish accountability and prevent future disruptions.
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