Deputy Majority leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and his counterpart Deputy Minority leader, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah have settled their differences after the heated exchanges and the war of words they traded at Wednesday’s sitting.
The two deputies on Thursday 2nd March, 2023 informed Speaker Alban S.K. Bagbin they have resolved the matter in issue and pledged things would get far better going forward.
The two clashed over the absence of Minster for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta who was scheduled to respond to some Parliamentary questions but failed to show up.
Speaker Bagbin announced to the House the Minister had sent a letter to inform members of his absence as a result of pressing engagement with representatives of the Chinese government and proposed the House moved on to questions for the Minister for Works and Housing.
Hon. Kofi Buah agreed to the proposition but condemned the record of the Finance Minister saying, “Mr. Speaker, as you know this House is not impressed with the record of the Minister of Finance’s attendance but we will allow that letter to stand.”
The concluding statement did not, however, go down well with Mr. Afenyo-Markin who insisted his colleague was not fair with his choice of words on the Minister.
This sparked a verbal fight between the deputy leaders with the Deputy Minority leader accusing Afenyo-Markin of rising to fame through twisting people’s words, who in turn accused him of not being courageous and honourable.
The Speaker, however, stepped in to stop the war of words and indicated the House cannot make progress without cooperation and consensus building and urged members to have that on their minds and respect colleagues.
According to him, members have immunity to express their views freely on the floor of the House but stressed this should be done in decorous and respectful language.
Before the House began business on Thursday, Mr. Afenyo-Markin informed the Speaker his colleague the Minority leader approached him after Wednesday’s sitting and apologized for the confrontation and he accepted the apology and forgave his colleague.
He assured the House the mutual respect that existed between him and Mr. Kofi Buah before his elevation to Minority leader will remain.
He indicated they both misconstrued certain matters because of some other external matters not known to them.
He said, “Mr. Speaker I want to assure the House that as far as I am concerned, any time I get on my feet, it is for the good of the politics of this House. However, I have taken his concerns on board and that will guide the approach.”
“For anything that he might have said touching on my ego, character or whatever it is, I have forgiven him and I have let go. We have discussed that and we have taken water over it.”
Minority leader Armah-Kofi Buah thanked the Speaker for his wise counsel after the exchanges and indicated he met his counterpart and they have agreed they are in Parliament because of the people’s business.
According to him, the two acknowledge they can only work together to make sure they achieve the very important work that was given them by the people.
“What is required of us is trust and professionalism and I assured him as our leader did from the first day that our intension here is to work not to obstruct but to make sure we work together for the people of Ghana and it is in that spirit that we are going to work”
“I also told him we are in the Lent period and all the things he said that are offensive I have forgiven him and in fact I have and we move forward together,” he said.
Speaker Alban Bagbin expressed gratitude to the two for finding time to patch up their differences and acknowledge their presence in Parliament is not for themselves but for the people.
He stated that whatever the situation members should always have to think first about the people.
“Let’s first think about the people and not ourselves and conduct ourselves well to suit the hopes and aspirations of our people who are extremely grateful and definitely want to see the new leaf that you have turned.”
“We are grateful and we hope your leaders will lead you well,” he added.