Interior Minister Confirms He Is “Deeply Hurt” But Accepts Afenyo-Markin’s Apology In Parliament

Minister for the Interior Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak has expressed deep disappointment over allegations made against him in Parliament but says he has accepted an apology from Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin following a tense exchange over the country’s security recruitment exercise.

The disagreement began after the Minority Leader accused the Interior Ministry of being involved in an alleged scam linked to the recruitment of personnel into the country’s security services. According to the claims, the use of a third-party information technology company in the recruitment process imposed additional costs on applicants and raised concerns about transparency.

The allegations sparked strong reactions in Parliament, prompting the Interior Minister to file a complaint against Afenyo-Markin. The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament subsequently referred the Minority Leader to the Privileges and Immunities Committee to examine the matter after the minister argued that the accusations were unfounded and damaging to his reputation.

During parliamentary proceedings on March 4, 2026, Afenyo-Markin formally withdrew the allegations and apologised to the Interior Minister. He told the House that he had no intention of tarnishing the reputation of the minister or his ministry and retracted the earlier remarks made during the debate.

Reacting to the apology, Muntaka said the accusations had caused him considerable distress. He explained that being wrongly accused of serious wrongdoing was painful, especially when it suggested criminal conduct. Despite this, he chose to accept the apology in the spirit of parliamentary cooperation.

The minister stated that he was “heavily hurt and worried” by the claims but emphasised that he could not refuse the apology when it was offered publicly by a colleague in the same chamber.

Following the apology, the First Deputy Speaker withdrew the earlier referral of Afenyo-Markin to the Privileges Committee and directed that the disputed remarks be removed from the official parliamentary records. The decision effectively brought the matter to an end after several days of heated exchanges in Parliament.

The incident highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the recruitment process for Ghana’s security services and underscores the importance of accuracy and accountability in statements made during parliamentary proceedings.