A member of the Communications Bureau of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Shamima Muslim has accused the Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin of deliberately overshadowing the chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, in the ongoing vetting process.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, January 18, she criticised Afenyo-Markin for taking an overly dominant role in proceedings and shaping the tone of the process to suit his agenda.

“It is too early to say that the chairman has been weak or has allowed Afenyo-Markin to act like a co-chair, but observations show that Afenyo-Markin has been very deliberate and intentional in overshadowing the chairman,” she stated.

Shamima noted that the Chairman of the committee faced criticism, even from within his party, for giving Afenyo-Markin too much freedom during the vetting.

According to her, this approach risks disrupting the process. “You can see a marked difference in how the NDC facilitates a freer discourse compared to the NPP when they are in power,” she said

Citing past examples, she compared Afenyo-Markin’s conduct to that of Joe Osei-Owusu (Joe Wise), who chaired the Appointments Committee during the NPP’s administration. She claimed Joe Wise adopted a dismissive and authoritarian tone, especially towards younger members like Alhassan Suhuyini, creating an atmosphere of palpable disdain.

Madam Muslim further criticised the NPP for failing to implement the reforms they often advocate while in opposition.

“It seems the NPP and their agents preach reforms when in opposition, but abandon these ideals when they gain power,” she added.