The Clerk to the Appointments Committee of Parliament, Gifty Jiagge-Gobah, has testified as part of investigations into the chaos that erupted during the vetting of ministerial nominees on Thursday, January 30, 2025.
Appearing before the Special Committee tasked to probe the incident, Mrs. Jiagge-Gobah narrated some events leading to the melee.
She revealed that her husband asked her to vacate the meeting room when the chaos intensified.
“At the tail end, when the Majority was trying to engage both sides, I got three calls and a message from my dear husband instructing me to leave the premises immediately. That order I took and adhered to, and I left,” she stated.
She revealed that before the vetting process, she had received instructions from the Chairman of the Committee and the Minority Chief Whip, which she duly communicated.
However, she said she noticed that tensions were rising during the vetting of Joseph Bukari Nikpe and informed the Clerk of Parliament.
She was then summoned by the Chairman to swear in Mr. Akandoh.
However, as she awaited further directives, she found herself caught in the middle of the disorder.
As the shouting intensified, she said members demanded that she continue with the swearing-in.
“They were screaming at me, but I needed a directive from my boss. If I didn’t get instructions, I couldn’t proceed,” she narrated.
Overwhelmed by the situation, she said she began to feel uncomfortable.
Her session was, however, cut short when the Chairman of the Committee probing the incident, Emmanuel Bedzrah, announced the suspension of the sitting until further notice.
The Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin had publicly accused the clerk of partisanship.
During an outburst, he alleged that she was working in favour of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the Appointments Committee’s vetting of ministerial nominees.
This accusation triggered a brawl, leading to chaos that disrupted the vetting process.
Afenyo-Markin also attributed the chaos to the clerk’s handling of the vetting process, citing a series of miscommunications and procedural lapses.
This prompted Speaker Alban Bagbin to express displeasure over the attacks on the clerk.
He stated that the clerk is a public servant and should not be blamed for the failure of committee members to resolve their differences.
Following the Speaker’s reprimand, the Minority Leader offered an apology to Gifty Jiagge-Gobah.
