First deputy speaker, Benard Ahiafor has withdrawn the referral of minority leader Alexander Afenyo Markin to parliament’s privileges committee over an alleged breach of parliamentary privilege upon the invoking of order 67 and 32 respectively by the minister responsible for Interior on Tuesday March 4, 2026.
The withdrawal follows an apology and retraction of the statement “Scandalous recruitment into Ghana’s security services “ by the minority leader during the State of the Nation Address.
The Effutu legislator explain that his intention was not to specifically hurt the minister or his ministry and hence the right thing to do is to apologize and withdraw the allegation.
“That I specifically made allegations against him which injures his reputation. Mr. Speaker, I would not do that specifically to hurt him or his ministry. And if, Mr. Speaker, the texts of my concerns reflected so, it is hereby accordingly withdrawn and Mr. Speaker, as colleagues, when a member feels strongly about a statement which is unintended, the right thing to do is to withdraw and apologize to him” he apologized
Mr. Markin also gave an assurance that concerns that would arise out of any matter shall be properly brought to the minister’s attention, while asking hansard to withdraw anything related to the minister or his ministry.
“Mr. Speaker, I proceed to do so and to assure him that concerns that would arise out of any matter shall be properly be brought to his attention”
“On this matter, as I’ve said before, I will repeat it for Hansard, that anything related to him or his ministry is withdrawn. And again, apologies to him. Mr. Speaker, that said, I leave matters to rest” he said
The Interior minister, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak in response expressed how hurt and painful it is to be wrongly accused having served as one of the longest serving leader in the August house.
However he noted that he wholeheartedly accept the apology, while urging the whole house to get in touch with him should they need any further information or clarification.
“I am heavily hurt and heavily worried, but who am I to say that if a colleague fails, using the same spot, or the same microphone, in the same chamber, it now counts well to say he has withdrawn and is apologising.”
“Who am I to say that I am going to play God and I will not accept it? I accept it wholeheartedly, and I pray that these days, all of us, myself, the hard-working service commanders that I have, the hard-working staff at the Ministry, for us to continue to do the right thing.
And to also assure the minority leader and the whole House that if there are anything that they think needs our attention, we will be more than happy to look at them and address them.” he said
The first deputy speaker hence withdraw accordingly the referral of the minority leader to the privileges committee as well as reiterate the expunging of the statement from the records.
“The retraction of an apology by the Minority Leader of those statements made during the State of the Nation Address and also following the acceptance by the Minister of Interior, I would order that the referrer to the Privileges and Immunities Committee for Examination,Inquiry and Report is accordingly withdrawn”
“I will further direct that those who have complained about, said by the Minority Leader and complained about by the Minority Leader is accordingly ordered to be expunged from the record as if it does not exist. By so doing, the matter is put to rest.” he concluded
By Sampson Kumah Ifeetwube Elvis
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