The Minority Leader in Parliament, Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has issued a public apology to Mrs. Gifty Jiagge-Gobah, the Clerk of the Appointment Committee, following his recent comments regarding her behavior.
During today’s parliamentary proceedings, Afenyo-Markin apologized not only to Mrs. Jiagge-Gobah, but also to her husband, children, extended family, and colleagues in the Parliamentary Service who may have been impacted by his remarks.
“Let me unreservedly say to the Clerk of the Appointment Committee,Mrs Gifty Jiagge-Gobah,, I am sorry,”he stated.
He recognized that his comments may have caused distress to Mrs. Jiagge-Gobah and her family, especially her husband, and expressed regret for any unintended harm.
“To her husband, the lovely husband, if my remarks about an internal matter have traumatized him in any way, I unreservedly apologize,”he said.
He also apologized to her children and other relatives, acknowledging that his criticism of her conduct may have impacted them. “To the children, I unreservedly say sorry. To her extended family and those close to her who may have been affected, I sincerely apologize,”he added.
Afenyo-Markin also spoke to his colleagues in the Parliamentary Service, especially those who believed the situation could have been managed more effectively.
“To all my colleagues in the Parliamentary Service, including those who believe I could have managed the matter differently, I again apologize unreservedly. With the discussions we’ve had, I am confident we can move forward and work better together despite any past reservations,”he assured.
He shared that he had since met with Mrs. Gifty, and their professional relationship had been reestablished.
“This afternoon, we met, and I had the opportunity to go through documents with her while she made corrections. There was never any bad blood between us; she knows the relationship I had with her before,”he explained.
Looking back on his reaction, Afenyo-Markin acknowledged that his expectations of Mrs. Gifty’s neutrality had played a role in his initial response.
“As Majority Leader, I saw the high standards she upheld in her dealings with both the Majority and Minority leadership. Naturally, I expected the same approach now that we are in the Minority. However, I concede that there is always a better way to react to a situation, and I will not allow ego to guide my decisions, especially when dealing with a woman,”he stated.
He ended by announcing his plan to write a personal letter to Mrs. Gifty as a formal record of his apology, emphasizing that his words were sincere and heartfelt.
