Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a lawyer and social activist, has clarified that his recent social media post regarding the parliamentary Appointments Committee was not intended to accuse its members of corruption.
Appearing before the committee on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 Mr. Vormawor stated, “Mr. Chair, I am saying here clearly that my post was not intended to disparage members of the committee and I have not intended to say that members of this committee have received or demanded bribes from various individuals. At no point was my statement intended to communicate same. And for those reasons, I apologise.”
His remarks come after a controversial Facebook post, in which he questioned whether payments allegedly made by ministerial appointees to secure approval were affected by the newly introduced Office of Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) regulations.
The post read:
“So all the monies the ministerial appointees are being asked to pay to the Appointments Committee just to get approved, are those ones not affected by ORAL? Strange Republic”
Mr. Vormawor further explained his decision not to delete the post, stating that he had considered doing so, but ultimately chose to keep it online for transparency.
“Mr. Chair, the reason why I have left the post on and not deleted it, in fact, I did contemplate it, was because I saw that the wires had been twisted and that it became imperative on me that I maintain the post in its original form, that if I was questioned on it, reference can be made to be able to verify it. This is the reason why it wasn’t deleted,” he added.
His comments have sparked widespread debate, with some viewing his post as a call for accountability, while others see it as an unfair insinuation against the parliamentary committee.
While admitting to have posted the comment, considered by the committee to be offensive, his lawyer, Nana Ato Dadzie said his intention for the post had been misconstrued.
Nana Ato Dadzie said; “Mr. Chairman…We apologise, first of all, for what we posted, which we said was intended for something else,” suggesting that some other posts, thought to be linked to his allegation, did not actually come from him.
Mr. Vormawor also dismissed claims of any affiliation with the National Democratic Congress (NDC), insisting that he has always been a dedicated member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP).
“I have never been an NDC member; I have always been a CPP member,” he declared.
“I have always stood by the principles of the CPP,” he reiterated, stressing that his political actions and statements reflect his commitment to the party’s values and ideology.
His remarks come amid growing public debate over his political leanings. Often linked with the NDC due to his outspoken views on national issues, Barker-Vormawor was quick to disassociate himself from the party.
