Ablakwa urges Oppong Nkrumah to retract comment at committee hearing

Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Chairman of Parliament's Assurance Committee, is requesting Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister of Works and Housing, retract and apologise for referring to his role as a 'bully pulpit.'At the Committee's public hearing, a debate erupted over the government's delays in completing housing units for victims of the Akosombo dam spillage.Mr Ablakwa maintained that Mr. Oppong Nkrumah's remarks were inappropriate and demanded a formal apology.Mr Oppong Nkrumah responded by questioning whether he could address the issues raised while also defending himself from the attacks.As a result, Mr. Ablakwa pressed Mr. Oppong Nkrumah, the Sector Minister, on his choice of words, arguing that a retraction and apology were required because he was acting within his rights under Parliamentary Standing Orders.'…Honourable Minister, you will be well advised to watch your diction. You will be well advised. You will be well advised. I will not take that. To suggest that I am using this position as a bully pulpit,' he said.'You have to retract that because that is not what I am doing here. You must retract and apologise. I am well within my standing orders. You have to retract that. You have to retract and apologise,' Mr. Ablakwa urged.Mr Oppong Nkrumah, for his part, questioned whether it was acceptable for the Chairman of the Committee [Mr. Ablakwa] to accuse him of allegedly being insincere and deflecting without allowing him to respond or share a different perspective.He explained that if he was accused of insincerity or introducing red herrings, he must be allowed to respond.'Mr Chairman, it is okay for the Chairman of the committee and the committee to accuse the Minister of being insincere, of deflecting without more, and I do not have the right to answer or to share a different view?' he asked.'…If you choose to accuse me of insincerity, of introducing red herrings, of deflecting, that is not about the people. That is, you are accusing me, and if you are accusing me, I must have a righ t to respond,' Mr. Oppong Nkrumah told the Committee.Source: Ghana News Agency