Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Majority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for South Dayi, has dismissed allegations of engaging in a physical confrontation during the recent vetting session chaos. He maintains that his actions were solely aimed at restoring calm and preventing further escalation.
The accusations stem from a reported clash between Dafeamekpor and Alhassan Tampuli, the former Deputy Minister of Transport and MP for Gushegu, during a heated session on Thursday, January 30, 2025. The incident has since drawn public scrutiny, prompting an investigation by an ad-hoc committee.
Appearing before the committee on Monday, February 10, Dafeamekpor denied any physical altercation, particularly claims of grabbing Tampuli’s clothing. “I don’t recall holding his dress at all. If I had, it would have been an entirely different scenario because I am equally strong. My hands were raised while he held the front of my fugu. We were simply exchanging words,” he added.
Dafeamekpor explained that his primary focus was de-escalation. He recounted how he appealed to Tampuli’s sense of professionalism, reminding him that as lawyers, they were expected to uphold decorum. “I said to him, ‘Why do you want us to fight over this? We are lawyers, custodians of order—we don’t behave like this.’ He eventually smiled and released my fugu,” he recounted.
The majority of Chief Whip also disclosed that his intervention was partly to assist Charles Asiedu, MP for Tano South, who had reportedly been restrained by Tampuli during the fracas. “I stepped in to help Asiedu because he was caught in Tampuli’s grip. That might have upset Tampuli, but in the end, he smiled, and the situation diffused,” Dafeamekpor said.
He attributed the broader chaos to the Minority’s attempts to disrupt proceedings. “The Minority was clearly determined to prevent any business from taking place that day. My actions were simply to restore order, not to engage in a fight,” he emphasized.
Dafeamekpor’s testimony has sparked further discussions about the conduct of parliamentarians during critical sessions, with many calling for higher standards of behaviour to maintain public confidence in the legislative process.
Story by: Mercy Addai Turkson
