Renowned activist and legal practitioner, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has vehemently distanced himself from statements attributed to him on social media, which sparked concerns among members of Ghana’s Appointments Committee of Parliament.
Appearing before the Committee following a summon, Barker-Vormawor sought to clarify the controversy surrounding his social media post, which was reportedly misrepresented.
The Appointments Committee, which is responsible for vetting individuals for high-ranking positions in government, called Barker-Vormawor to respond to allegations suggesting that he accused certain members of the Committee of corruption.
The controversy arose during the vetting process of Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, the Defense Minister Designate , a respected nominee, whose session was overshadowed by discussions regarding the alleged post.
During the proceedings, Hon. Jerry Ahmed Shaib, the Second Deputy Minority Whip and Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe, referenced a statement allegedly made by Barker-Vormawor. The statement in question implied that some members of the Committee demanded or accepted bribes, a claim that Barker-Vormawor firmly denied.
Addressing the Committee, Barker-Vormawor expressed deep respect for the Committee’s constitutional role and emphasized that he never accused its members of corruption.
“Mr. Chairman, I categorically disassociate myself from the comments attributed to me and from subsequent remarks made by others suggesting that I accused certain members of this Committee of corruption. At no point did I state that the Chair of this Committee or members of the NDC had asked for money or submitted themselves to ORA,” he stated.
He further explained that his original social media post, which sparked the controversy, had been misconstrued and circulated in a misleading manner. He revealed that his post was edited multiple times in an attempt to ensure clarity, and he regretted that it was misinterpreted.
In addition to addressing the misquoted statements, Barker-Vormawor also responded to claims that he was a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He refuted the allegation, clarifying that he has consistently supported the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and intends to continue doing so.
“It is completely untrue that I am a member of the NDC. I have not been one in the past, and I remain committed to my ideological stance with the CPP,” he said.
Barker-Vormawor also explained why he did not delete the controversial post, stating that removing it could have led to further distortions of his original intent.
“I did contemplate deleting the post. However, I realized that my words had been twisted, and it became necessary to leave it up in its original form to allow for verification. If I were to be questioned on it, the evidence would be available,” he clarified.
He also disclosed that the false statement being circulated originated from an MPP Projects Bureau Facebook account, but he had no knowledge of the actual source.
Barker-Vormawor concluded his statement by apologizing for any unintended misinterpretations of his words and reaffirming his respect for the Appointments Committee and its work.
“For those reasons, I apologize. At no point was my statement intended to disparage members of the Committee or suggest that they engaged in corrupt practices,” he said.
