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The deputy Local Government Minister-designate, John Oti Bless has issued an apology to the Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood and members of the judiciary for derogatory comments he made against them on Accra-based radio station Montie FM.

This follows a directive from the Speaker for deliberations over his nomination to be put on hold until the Nkwanta North Member of Parliament apologised for the comments he made.

“I wish to sincerely state that I am really sorry for everything that has happened. Let me use this opportunity to render an unqualified apology to the Chief Justice who is my mother and the entire Judiciary, judges, Parliament, good people of Ghana and my constituents.” he said in an interview with Eyewitness News host Richard Dela Sky.

“I am really sorry and this will be the last time, It’s an experience. I have had my first baptism in politics. I thank the Speaker for his advice, the Minority Leader, my leader, Alban Bagbin – he’s a wonderful leader, he’s done a lot for me,and gave me guidance – and all the other leaders in Parliament.I also thank all Ghanaians for their sympathy and for understanding.”

Oti Bless stated that although he hadn’t yet approached the affected justices and the Chief Justice to apologise for his comments about them personally, he hoped his public apology would suffice.

“At the leadership level, they’ve done a lot and I want to use the medium [Citi FM] to reach out to her. I know the Chief Justice and other justices listen a lot to the station and that is why I stated that I regret any inconvenience and it won’t happen again.”

I was misled

Oti Bless explained that he had been ‘misled’ to make the comments he did adding that he was carried away by the moment.

“I was misled in a way as a young guy with youthful exuberance, you can understand. That is not my nature, that’s not how I was brought up, I’ll plead that it won’t happen again. This will be the last time. They should kindly forgive me in the name of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” he said Parliament deferred the nomination of Oti Bless on Thursday stating that consultations had not yet been completed.

However the nomination of Emmanuel Bombande and Joseph Tetteh Angmor, for the positions of deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Eastern Regional Minister respectively was approved.

Oti Bless under fire for attack on CJ

The Nkwanta North MP’s nomination for the position came under scrutiny following his performance at his vetting which many described as unconvincing.

His nomination has been questioned further by revelations that he had made some derogatory comments about the Chief Justice, Georgina Woode on same Montie FM programme which the two jailed panelists and radio host had made death threats on Supreme Court justices.

Oti Bless is on record as having accused the Chief Justice of ‘conniving’ with the opposition NPP in an attempt to reverse the election results in 2008 and in 2012 which saw the late John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama elected into office respectively.

The development drove some members of the Minority in Parliament to kick against his approval.

According to Mr. Osei-Wusu, the MP’s alleged participation in that programme and the comments he made against the Chief Justice, were improper for a public official.

“He seriously castigated the Chief Justice. I would have wished that he would learn from what had happened to people who had made serious castigation against this House. How this House has dealt with them and would have been very circumspect,” Osei Wusu argued while addressing the House.

The deputy Majority Leader, Alfred Agbesi, insisted that Parliament was not under pressure to immediately take into account the evidence presented against Oti Bless before approving his nomination.