The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South and Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has called for a public apology and retraction from Emeafa Hardcastle, the Acting Chief Executive of the Petroleum Commission, following her verbal attack on Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh.

It occurred during a break in the Parliamentary Appointments Committee proceedings on Tuesday, January 28.

Although the exact trigger of the confrontation remains unclear, reports suggest it stemmed from a remark by Emeafa Hardcastle, who referred to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus as a 'Micro-Minority'.

The comment reportedly sparked tensions, leading to a back-and-forth between the two individuals.

The incident occurred during a brief recess in the vetting process, as the committee deliberated over whether to suspend proceedings in light of allegations made by activist Oliver Barker-Vormawor, accusing the committee of engaging in bribery.

As members and guests exited the hall, the disagreement between Mr Annoh Dompreh and Mrs Hardcastle became public, drawing attention from those present.

• Read also: Annoh-Dompreh clashes with Emeafa Hardcastle over ‘Micro-Minority’ comment

Emeafa: You are threatening that you will take me on because you are who?… what do you mean you are taking me on?

Annoh-Dompreh: You called us Micro-Minority.

Emeafa: But you’re Micro-minority. Doesn’t Afenyo himself use that phrase? Don’t bring yourself. Do you think you can bully me here?

In response, Annoh-Dompreh expressed his intention to take action regarding the exchange, raising concerns about the nature of the remarks and their potential impact.

Addressing the issue in Parliament a few minutes after the incident occurred, the Education Minister strongly condemned Hardcastle's comments, describing them as damaging to Annoh-Dompreh’s reputation as an elected MP.

He demanded a public apology from Hardcastle and urged the Minority Chief Whip not to escalate the matter further.

“The unjustified remarks made against the Minority Whip have harmed his reputation as an elected member of Parliament. Mr Speaker, we must stand united in condemning this conduct and demand an apology. I also appeal to my colleague not to pursue this matter further, but rather to allow it to be resolved at the Privileges Committee,” Mr Iddrisu stated.

The minister also emphasised that raising the matter in Parliament would send a strong message that the legislature possesses disciplinary powers, as outlined in Article 122 of the 1992 Constitution.

• Read also: Annoh-Dompreh clashes with Emeafa Hardcastle over ‘Micro-Minority’ comment

Meanwhile, Comfort Doyoe, the Leader of the Women’s Caucus in Parliament and First Deputy Whip of the Majority group, also weighed in on the issue. She appealed to the Minority Chief Whip to withdraw his request to escalate the matter to the Privileges Committee, expressing her intention to personally address the situation.

“As the leader of the Women’s Caucus, I plead with the Chief Whip to leave this matter to me. I will meet with the lady in question and offer guidance on how to handle such situations. This is a matter between a woman and a man,” Doyoe stated. “The woman has already apologised, so I kindly ask the Chief Whip to allow me, as the head of the Women’s Caucus, to advise her on how to manage such issues in Parliament.”