Minority Leader retracts, apologises to Interior Minister - Referral to Privileges Committee withdrawn
The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has retracted and apologised to the Minister of Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, for alleging that the recent 2025 /2026 recruitment exercises conducted for security services were fraught with a scam.
He stated that he was sorry if those allegations injured the reputation of Mr Mohammed-Mubarak.
“I want to state categorically that contrary to the impression he had that I specially made an allegation against him which injures his reputation, I will not do that specifically to hurt him or his ministry and if the text of my concerns reflected so, it is hereby accordingly withdrawn,” the Minority Leader said.
Apologies to him
Addressing the House at the commencement of business yesterday, Mr Afenyo-Markin said “Mr Speaker, as colleagues when a member feels strongly about a statement, which is unintended, the right thing to do is to withdraw and apologise to him and I proceed with this.
“I assure you that concerns that would arise out of any matter shall be properly brought to his attention but on this matter, as I have said before, I would repeat for Hansard that anything related to him or his ministry is withdrawn and again apologies to him,” he said.
Referral withdrawn
The First Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, who was presiding, accordingly withdrew the referral he made last Tuesday to the Committee on Privileges and Immunities.
“The retraction and 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order that the referral to the Privileges and Immunities Committee for examination, inquiry and report is accordingly withdrawn,” he said.
He further directed the expunction of those allegations from the records as if they did not happen.
I accept apology
Responding, Mr Mohammed-Mubarak said it was painful to be wrongfully accused or one’s actions to be misconstrued and be labelled differently from the intention that one had, especially when it was connoted with criminality and heavy wrongdoing.
“Colleagues, remember most of the times I keep saying, let us respect one another.”
“I will be the first to always say that ‘fight for the right thing to be done.
Make sure that wrong things are not done’, but let us not do it as though we intend to destroy each other.
“I am heavily hurt and heavily worried but who am I to say that if a colleague errs using the same spots or the same microphone in the same chamber, now comes back to say he has withdrawn and is apologising I am going to play God and I will not accept it?
“I accept it wholeheartedly and I pray that this guides all of us, myself, the hardworking Service Commanders that I have, the hardworking staff at the ministry, for us to do the right thing and to also assure the Minority Leader and the Minority and the whole house that if there is anything that they think needs our attention, we will be more than happy to look at them and address them,” he said.
Background
The Speaker referred the Minority Leader to the Privileges Committee after the Interior Minister formally challenged him to substantiate allegations that the ongoing recruitment into the security services is unlawful and exploitative.
Mr Mohammed-Mubarak invoked Standing Orders 31 (e), (f) and (h) and prayed the Speaker to give the Minority Leader the opportunity to substantiate the allegations that it was a scam for introducing an online application system through a third-party IT firm, a process which imposed an undue financial burden on applicants.
Mr Afenyo-Markin had publicly described the recruitment as a scam, raising concerns about transparency and cost implications for prospective applicants.
