The Minority Caucus in Parliament is demanding stringent sanctions against Victoria Emeafa Hardcastle, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, for what they describe as an egregious act of contempt against the legislative body.
In a strongly worded press statement, Minority Leader Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin outlined a series of punitive measures that the Caucus believes are necessary to uphold the dignity of Parliament. These include fines, imprisonment, restriction from parliamentary premises, and a mandatory public apology.
The controversy stems from an incident on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, where Ms. Hardcastle allegedly directed Minority Chief Whip Hon. Frank Annor-Dompreh on how to perform his parliamentary duties and referred to a senior MP as “silly.” The Minority Caucus condemned this as a direct assault on parliamentary authority, calling for an uncompromising response.
The statement emphasized that such conduct “strikes at the very foundation of our democracy” and must be met with “the full force of parliamentary sanctions.”
The Minority Caucus has outlined the following sanctions they expect Parliament to impose:
Fines and Imprisonment: Ms. Hardcastle could face financial penalties or even a custodial sentence as punishment for her actions.
Restriction from Parliamentary Premises: She may be barred from entering parliamentary precincts, effectively limiting her interactions with lawmakers.
Mandatory Public Apology: The Caucus insists that a formal, public apology is necessary to address what they describe as an unacceptable breach of parliamentary decorum.
With Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin set to rule on the matter on Friday, January 31, 2025, the Minority Caucus expects the decision to serve as a warning to public officials about the consequences of disrespecting Parliament.
“We anticipate that Friday’s ruling will send an unmistakable message of deterrence to all public officials and indeed any person who might contemplate similar contemptuous conduct in the future,” the statement read.
The Minority Caucus referenced past parliamentary decisions, including the landmark case of Hon. K. T. Hammond v. William Ampem Darko, which reinforced the principle that no public official has the right to direct or verbally assault an MP.
In a rare show of unity, Members of Parliament from both the Majority and Minority sides have reportedly expressed bipartisan outrage over Ms. Hardcastle’s conduct, further strengthening the push for harsh penalties.
The Minority Caucus warned that failure to impose significant sanctions could undermine parliamentary authority, setting a dangerous precedent. “The dignity of Parliament is non-negotiable, and those who choose to assault it must face commensurate consequences,” the statement concluded.