Recruitment ‘scam’ allegation: Afenyo-Markin apologises to Muntaka

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has formally withdrawn allegations he made against the Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka.

The claims were related to the ongoing recruitment exercise into the country’s security services.

The apology was delivered on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, March 4, after the First Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, referred the Minority Leader to the Privileges Committee over the remarks, which were considered potentially contemptuous.

The referral followed a complaint lodged by the Interior Minister, who argued that the accusations made against him were unfounded and damaging to his reputation.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin had earlier claimed that the recruitment exercise involved questionable practices, alleging that the engagement of a third-party information technology firm amounted to a scam and placed an unnecessary financial burden on applicants seeking to join the security services.

However, addressing the House after the issue was raised, the Minority Leader clarified his position and withdrew the remarks, stressing that he had no intention of harming the minister’s reputation.

“Mr Speaker, I will not do that to hurt him or tarnish his reputation, and if the text of my concern reflected so, it is hereby accordingly withdrawn. I assure you that concerns that will arise out of any matter shall be properly brought to his attention,” he stated.

Responding to the apology, Mr. Muntaka acknowledged the gesture but indicated that the earlier allegations had been painful, particularly because they suggested serious wrongdoing.

“It is painful to be wrongly accused and be labelled differently from the intention that you have, especially when it is connected with heavy wrongdoing. I am heavily hurt and heavily worried, but who am I to say that I will not accept when my colleague comes to apologise? I accept it wholeheartedly,” the Interior Minister said.

He further appealed to the Speaker to have the matter removed from the official parliamentary record to prevent the claims from lingering.

“My plea is that, if it is possible, it should be expunged from our records so that it will be as though it never happened,” he added.

The development appears to bring the dispute between the two lawmakers to a close, following concerns that the allegations could escalate into a full parliamentary inquiry after the initial referral to the Privileges Committee.