‘It was never his intention to disparage the Appointments Committee’- Oliver Barker

Oliver Barker-Vormawor, organiser of the Democracy Hub, has clarified that his recent social media post regarding bribery was not aimed at Parliament’s Appointments Committee, contrary to widespread speculation.

His statement follows intense public and political scrutiny after a post in which he suggested that ministerial nominees were being asked to pay money for approval. The post read:

“So all the money the ministerial appointees are being asked to pay to the Appointments Committee just to get approved, are those ones not affected by ORAL? Strange Republic.”

The wording of the statement, particularly the direct reference to the Appointments Committee, led many to interpret it as an accusation against the parliamentary body responsible for vetting ministerial nomineesemo

However, appearing before the Appointments Committee on Wednesday, January 29, Barker-Vormawor’s legal counsel, Nana Ato Dadzie, insisted that his client’s remarks were not meant to accuse committee members of corruption. Instead, he argued, the post was meant to draw attention to broader concerns about transparency and ethical governance.

“The point of that statement is that it was not directed at the Appointments Committee in any way. It was only intended to expose certain matters that had come to his notice—acts that some people were apparently engaging in, which may not enhance transparency,” Dadzie explained.

He further noted that the post could be interpreted in multiple ways and should not be seen as an attack on the Committee’s integrity.

“It was never his intention to disparage the Appointments Committee, and one can clearly say that the statement has a double meaning. If anything, it was a statement from a whistleblower indicating that certain things are happening,” he added.

Barker-Vormawor’s clarification comes as Parliament reaffirms its commitment to due process and accountability in ministerial vetting, amid growing public interest in transparency within Ghana’s governance structures.

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