‘I saw total chaos, inability to protect the clerk’ – Dzifa Gomashie breaks down as she recounts vetting chaos

Captured in one of the viral videos from the chaotic scenes in Parliament, Dzifa Gomashie was called upon to share her side of the story.

When asked to describe exactly what she witnessed, she said, “I saw the absence of tolerance and camaraderie. I saw total disrespect for the clerk, an attack on the woman, and the inability of leadership of the committee to protect her. I saw total chaos and the destruction of property belonging to the Republic of Ghana.”

When asked if the video depicting the MPs’ misconduct, including fighting and destroying equipment, was doctored, she responded, “It was not doctored, and I saw more than that in the room.”

In one of the earlier videos from the ‘chaotic vetting’, Dzifa Gomashie was spotted yelling at some MPs, telling them to grow up.

“You lost miserably. It’s terrible. You lost the election, get over it. You lost the freakin’ election. John Mahama is still president, get over it!” she was heard screaming in one of the viral videos.

When asked what she stood up to do during the incident, she broke down in tears and explained, “I got up to defend the clerk. It was difficult to watch what was happening, but I couldn’t help.”

She was also asked why she was present at the vetting, given that she isn’t a member of the Appointments Committee and she replied, “I am not a member of the committee, but I received an invitation from my colleagues who were being vetted, specifically Okudzeto Ablakwa.”

Background

Tensions escalated over the vetting of Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Minister for Health-designate and Minister for Foreign Affairs-designate respectively.

The Majority MPs on the Appointments Committee insisted on continuing the vetting session beyond 10 PM, but the Minority strongly opposed it, insisting they were done for the day.

The situation grew increasingly chaotic as the Minority began overturning tables, causing microphones to fall and break, among others.

Almost leading to physical altercations, Minority MPs clashed with their Majority counterparts.