The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, is set to meet with the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Petroleum Commission, Victoria Emeafa Hardcastle, today, January 30.

The meeting comes in the wake of a heated altercation between Ms Hardcastle and Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, during the vetting of Defense Minister-Designate, Dr. Omane Boamah, on Tuesday, January 28.

The clash, which has sparked widespread discussions in political and legislative circles, prompted Annoh-Dompreh to formally petition the Speaker, urging immediate action before the Privileges Committee is constituted.

He described the incident as an “unprovoked attack” on him in his capacity as a legislator and called for swift intervention.

In response, Speaker Bagbin acknowledged the seriousness of the matter and assured Parliament that he would meet with Ms Hardcastle to hear her perspective before making any decisions regarding the formation of the Privileges Committee.

Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has called for stringent sanctions against Ms Hardcastle.

In a statement released on January 29, 2025, the Minority Caucus, led by Minority Leader Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, called Hardcastle’s actions “egregious contempt of Parliament” and demanded immediate action.

The Minority emphasised the potential dangers of inaction, warning that failure to address the issue would set a dangerous precedent, allowing future public officials to undermine the authority of Parliament.