The Minority in Parliament has called for the removal of the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee investigating the disturbances that occurred during the Appointments Committee sitting some days ago.
Mr. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, according to the minority caucus, has shown clear bias, prejudice, witness tampering, and a conflict of interest.
The minority has accordingly called for his removal and the immediate suspension of the ongoing investigation.
Addressing a news conference on Friday, January 7, 2025 on behalf the minority caucus, a member on the Committee, Mr. Kwame Anyimadu Antwi, emphasized their commitment to an impartial and credible investigation into the disorderly conduct during the ministerial nominees’ vetting process.
He asserted that the current proceedings lacked fairness and integrity.
The Minority condemned the decision to conduct the hearings publicly, arguing that it compromised the investigation’s integrity.
Mr. Anyimadu Antwi argued that allowing all witnesses to listen to each other’s testimonies in a public setting made it easy for testimonies to be influenced or coordinated.
“On Tuesday, witnesses sat together and were called one by one, but each could still listen to the conversations of other witnesses. This is not done in proper investigative settings,” Mr. Anyimadu Antwi explained.
According to him, Speaker of Parliament of Alban Bagbin had initially directed that the committee should not hold public hearings, a directive the Minority had agreed with, only to realize that it was being ignored.
“If the proceedings are aired publicly, even if a witness is asked to step out, they can still watch it on their phone or TV. That is not a proper investigative process,” he said.
Instance of Bias
Mr. Anyimadu Antwi presented what he described as clear evidence of bias on the part of the Chairman.
According to him, on February 5, 2025, Mr. Bedzrah made public statements in widely broadcast media interviews, prematurely attributing blame to the Minority Leader for attempting to derail the committee’s work through illicit means.
“The Minority Leader instructed the clerk to halt the committee’s work. He does not want the hearings to continue,” Mr. Bedzrah allegedly stated.
The Minority argued that such remarks cast prejudgment on their leadership even before they had the opportunity to present their side of the story, fundamentally undermining due process and fairness.
The Caucus also cited an interview aired on TV3 and other media platforms where the Chairman allegedly stated that he had already identified culprits within the Minority responsible for the disorderly conduct and would draft a negative report against them if they refused to appear before the committee.
“The role of the chair is to facilitate an impartial inquiry, not to prejudge or assume guilt before individuals have had a fair hearing.
“By declaring individuals culpable before they even appear Emmanuel Bedzrah has shown an unacceptable level of prejudice,” Mr. Anyimadu Antwi added.
The Minority also raised concerns about the Chairman engaging in private conversations with potential witnesses before their official appearances before the committee.
Mr. Anyimadu Antwi argued that such interactions compromised the integrity of the investigation, as they provided an opportunity for the shaping of testimonies to align with a premeditated agenda.
“All engagements with witnesses must be conducted transparently through official parliamentary clerks. The chairman’s actions in this regard significantly undermine the credibility of this process,” he stated.
Minority’s withdrawal
Due to these concerns, the Minority has withdrawn from the committee’s proceedings, stating that they cannot, in good conscience, continue participating in a process they view as fundamentally flawed.
Mr. Anyimadu Antwi indicated that the Caucus has formally petitioned the Speaker to immediately reconstitute the Committee by removing Emmanuel Bedzrah as chairman and appointing an impartial individual to oversee the inquiry.
