The Member of Parliament for Subin in the Ashanti Region, Eugene Boakye Antwi, has revealed deep-seated tensions within the Majority caucus in Parliament.
Speaking in an interview with Kumasi-based Oyerapa TV, Antwi disclosed that the recent reshuffle in Parliamentary committees led to significant discontent among some Majority MPs, who directed unprintable insults at the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
The reshuffle in July involved several key changes, including Emmanuel Akwasi Gyamfi, who moved from chairing the Local Government Committee to take over Atta Akyea’s former role at the Mines and Energy Committee. Additionally, Patrick Yaw Boamah, the MP for Okaikwei Central, was appointed as the new chairman of the Finance Committee.
According to Antwi, the reshuffle saw some first-time MPs appointed as committee chairpersons, a move he described as inappropriate given the traditional hierarchy in Parliament.
“Parliament is just like how the law school and practice are. Even if you finish Law School and your child did before you, he/she is your senior at the Bar. So in Parliament, those who came first are seniors. However, during the recent reshuffle, some first-timers were made committee chairpersons, which is wrong.”
He further shared that some senior MPs, feeling slighted by these changes, expressed their frustration in harsh terms.
“Some of the seniors in Parliament are said to have insulted the Majority Leader. I was out of town, but that is what I heard. The leader called to tell me, and I heard that some of the words were unprintable. Right now, the person feels slighted.”
Antwi specifically mentioned Samuel Atta Akyea, who lost his position as Chairman of the Mines and Energy Committee and was reassigned to chair the Local Government and Rural Development Committee.
“You’ve taken his ministerial role from him, and you’ve taken this one too. Atta Akyea attends Parliament religiously, so why will you take his position from him? There is a lot of rancor,” he stated.