- Ablakwa demanded an apology from Oppong Nkrumah for calling his role a “bully pulpit"
- Oppong Nkrumah’s hesitation to answer directly was seen as trying to avoid suggesting government failure
- The committee took a brief break to resolve the issue
The Parliamentary Assurance Committee has successfully mediated a dispute between its Chairman, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and the Minister for Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, regarding delays in completing housing units for victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage.
Committee member Andrew Dari Chiwitey characterized the altercation as a “simple issue” that escalated due to communication misunderstandings.
The conflict started when Ablakwa demanded that Oppong Nkrumah retract his description of Ablakwa’s role as a “bully pulpit” and issue an apology. Ablakwa deemed the minister’s remarks inappropriate and insisted on a formal apology.
In response, Nkrumah questioned whether he was being denied the opportunity to address and defend himself against what he perceived as attacks.
Despite the disagreement, Ablakwa maintained that a retraction and apology were warranted, citing parliamentary rules that supported his position.
Speaking in an interview, Chiwitey explained that the issue stemmed from the chairman’s request for a straightforward answer from the minister. The minister’s reluctance to provide a direct response, possibly to avoid suggesting governmental inefficiency, led to a brief but intense discussion.
Chiwitey noted, “It was just a simple issue. The chairman wanted a clear answer from the minister, but the minister hesitated, likely to avoid implying that his government was underperforming. It shouldn’t have caused any significant debate. We resolved it by taking a brief five-minute break, after which we came back and continued our work.”
