Accra: Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has accused the Minority of seeking media attention rather than answers from the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr. Johnson Asiama, after they walked out of a parliamentary engagement. The Minority withdrew from proceedings on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, following a disagreement over the decision to hold the BoG Governor's appearance before the Committee of the Whole in-camera.
According to Ghana Web, Ayariga addressed journalists after the walkout and defended the decision, explaining that Parliament's Standing Orders allow committee meetings to be held privately if members agree to it. He referenced Order 266, which states that committee meetings should be public unless the committee determines otherwise. Ayariga elaborated that he had asked the Minority to convince the entire committee to sit in public, emphasizing that without such consensus, the committee cannot be forced to hold a public session.
He further stated that the Minority had the opportunity to persuade the Committee of the Whole to allow the engagement to be open to the public but failed to secure the needed support. Ayariga dismissed claims that the BoG Governor was unwilling to face scrutiny, noting the Governor had prepared responses to Parliament's questions and was ready to provide the necessary information.
The walkout followed the Minority's objection to First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor's ruling that the BoG Governor's briefing should be held behind closed doors. Ayariga suggested that the Minority's decision to leave the chamber implied that their priority was creating a public spectacle rather than engaging the central bank chief.