Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
The Minister of Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has accused Chairman of the Government Assurances Committee of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, of using the committee as a ‘bully pulpit’ to intimidate and attack Ministers of State.
During a hearing of the committee, the two clashed over accusations of insincerity and political football.
The exchanges began when Ablakwa pressed Oppong Nkrumah on the delayed completion of a project for victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage, accusing the minister of insincerity, deflecting, and introducing red herrings.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah responded by stating that he had a right to defend himself against the accusations and pointed out instances where he believed the chairman had done the same.
“I don’t think that’s what we are here to do. Specific on this matter. Within 14 days, myself and the Regional Minister will be on ground once again. We will engage with the contractors. We will have clear timelines, which I will share with you.
“But if we want to go into the questions of parliamentary football and deflection, I don’t think that you intend to use your committee as a bully pulpit to invite ministers and make these accusations, and not give them an opportunity to answer,” he stressed.
Mr. Ablakwa took exception to Mr. Oppong Nkrumah’s suggestion that he was using the committee as a ‘bully pulpit’ and demanded a retraction and apology.
“To suggest that I am using this position as a bully pulpit, you have to retract that, because that is not what I’m doing here. I’m well within my Standing Orders, you have to retract that. You must retract and apologise for that statement,” he insisted.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah, who is also the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ofoase-Ayirebi retorted, “Okay for the chairman of the committee to accuse the minister of being insincere, of deflecting without more, and I do not have the right to answer or to say that I share a different view.”
Mr. Ablakwa responded, “So you think that it is okay that for a whole year, fellow citizens are living in a tent. You think that is fine.”
Oppong Nkrumah came back to say, “No, we can have a conversation on that. Chairman, that’s not it. That’s a conversation we can have. And I think we’ve legitimately gone through that. But if you choose to accuse me of insincerity, of introducing red herrings, of deflecting, that is not about the people.”
Despite the tense atmosphere, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah remained calm and composed, reiterating his commitment to providing updates on the project’s timelines and assuring the committee that he would not be swayed by personal attacks.
The minister’s firm stance seemed to catch Mr. Ablakwa off guard, and the exchanges continued to escalate.
But the chairman expressed frustration with the minister’s responses, stating that he was introducing irrelevant matters and getting his facts wrong.
“Of course, because you are introducing matters that are not before us, matters that you have your facts totally wrong,” he asserted.
The minister denied this, asking the chairman to specify which matters he was referring to.
“Which matters are these? It is, respectfully, within my right to also draw your attention to instances where I am of the view you have done the same,” the minister insisted.
Oppong Nkrumah added, “For the people in these areas, the number one interest that they have is that we complete these projects on time for people to benefit. But if you choose Chairman, respectfully, to accuse me before the whole country of playing partisan football, not being sincere, of deflecting and of introducing red herrings, then I have a right, in my own defense, to draw your attention to instances where I believe you have done.”
As the exchanges became more heated, a female member of the committee intervened, asking the media to turn off their cameras, and the meeting was suspended.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliamentary Correspondent