Annoh-Dompreh Opens Up: “I Was Shocked and Deeply Hurt by Hardcastle’s Outburst”

Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has opened up about a painful encounter with Emeafa Hardcastle, Acting Chief Executive of the Petroleum Commission.

Mr. Annoh-Dompreh disclosed that during a heated incident on January 28, during a recess at the Parliamentary Appointments Committee proceedings, Madam Hardcastle allegedly hurled harsh insults at him. The outburst came after she referred to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus as a “Micro-Minority.”

“I was deeply hurt by her attitude. She rained crude insults on me. It was terrible, and I had never experienced anything like that before,” he recounted, adding that he reported the matter to the Appointments Committee Chair, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

Despite the confrontation, Mr. Annoh-Dompreh emphasized that he tried to maintain his composure to prevent the situation from escalating further.

He further revealed that female members of the Appointments Committee apologized to him on Madam Hardcastle’s behalf.

Hardcastle herself later extended an olive branch, inviting him for lunch, but he declined.

“All the women on the vetting committee came and knelt before me, apologizing. I was angry, but at that moment, I prayed and left everything to God,” he said, reflecting on the challenging moments he had faced recently, including controversies surrounding his re-election.

Mr. Annoh-Dompreh, who grew up in the Volta Region, even communicated with Madam Hardcastle in Ewe during their interaction. “She was surprised when I spoke Ewe to her. I told her Ewes don’t behave the way she did.”

Though he decided to let the matter rest, he later learned of another derogatory remark she allegedly made about him. For him, the incident was a test of patience, faith, and resilience, which he left in God’s hands.