The vetting session for Deputy Health Minister-designate Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah on Friday, July 25, 2025, offered a masterclass in strategic evasion, as she deftly parried persistent questioning from Minority Leader and Ranking Member on Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
The exchange, which focused on a controversial social media post, saw Dr. Ayensu-Danquah consistently decline to verify the authenticity of the document presented by the Minority Leader, effectively preventing him from cornering her on its content.
The tension in Parliament’s Appointments Committee began when Mr Afenyo-Markin, known for his incisive cross-examinations, handed Dr. Ayensu-Danquah a printed document purporting to be a social media post with her picture and name.
He directly asked her, “Is this from you? Is this a verified page, a social media page of yours, please?”
Dr. Ayensu-Danquah’s initial response set the tone for her defence: “Thank you, Mr. Chair. I cannot tell on a piece of paper whether it’s a verified page or not.”
Undaunted, Mr Afenyo-Markin then instructed her to “read aloud the content of what you have before you.”
The nominee complied, reading: “Professor Dr. Grace Ayensu Danquah. I extend my gratitude to the Speaker of Parliament for addressing the Minority Leader’s unwarranted attack on me during the parliamentary session last week. #WomenAtWork #TheNewEssikadoKetan.”
Once she finished reading, Mr Afenyo-Markin reiterated, “Is this coming from you?”
Dr. Ayensu-Danquah’s response remained consistent and technically precise.
“Again, Mr. Speaker, I cannot verify from a piece of paper. My Facebook account is meta-verified, and this does not have any meta-verification.”
She reiterated this point multiple times, even when the Minority Leader tried to rephrase the question as “whether you wrote this”.
“Again, Mr. Chair, I cannot verify a piece of paper. My Facebook account is meta-verified. There’s no meta-verification on this page. Thank you,” she firmly stated, frustrating the Minority Leader’s attempts to elicit a direct admission or denial.
Mr Afenyo-Markin, acknowledging her response, then shifted to the “perception-driven enterprise as politicians” angle, urging her to clarify if she had written such a thing, regardless of verification.
Dr. Ayensu-Danquah’s final response on the matter further cemented her evasive yet legally sound stance.
“Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, you’re giving me a piece of paper that is not verified. And respectfully, as a lawyer, I believe you know about evidence. There is no evidence here that I wrote. There are lots of fake accounts in my name. Again, my Facebook account is meta-verified. This piece of paper has no meta verification. So I cannot tell you whether this is my account or it’s not my account. Thank you.”
The Minority Leader, seemingly outmanoeuvred, conceded, “Honourable nominee. That’s fair enough.”
Background to the vetting tension: “Strange reasons” for nomination?
The heated exchange over the social media post is rooted in earlier comments made by Mr Afenyo-Markin regarding Dr. Ayensu-Danquah’s nomination.
Prior to her vetting, the Minority Leader had publicly questioned the “strange reasons” behind her nomination for the Deputy Health Minister portfolio in Parliament.
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, later condemned Mr Afenyo-Markin for his approach in the House.
Upon reflection, Mr Afenyo-Markin offered sincere apologies to Dr Ayensu-Danquah during the vetting session.
“I had crossed the red line. I say to you, I’m sorry. Is that fair?” he said, adding, “We are on national TV and I want to be sensitive to your feelings because I am a husband and a father and I wouldn’t want anybody to do that to my wife or my sister. So once you feel that way and you have expressed it or somebody has expressed it on your behalf without you saying it, it is my duty to react to it as a Christian who wants to perfect my Christian life. So I’m sorry once again.”
While the specifics of Mr Afenyo-Markin’s earlier criticisms were not fully detailed in the vetting, the implicit comparison often drawn in political circles is with other accomplished female Members of Parliament from the ruling party who have not yet received ministerial appointments.
One prominent name frequently mentioned in this context is Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey Constituency.
Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings, a medical doctor by profession and daughter of former President Jerry John Rawlings, is a well-regarded figure within the NDC and Parliament.
She has served multiple terms as an MP, is active on key parliamentary committees (such as Defence and Interior, and Health), and has a strong background in public health and community development.
Her continued absence from ministerial roles, despite her qualifications and political stature, has been a subject of quiet discussion and comparisons within the political landscape, particularly when other female MPs receive appointments.
Afenyo-Markin’s questioning, therefore, might have been an attempt to draw out Dr. Ayensu-Danquah on potential internal political dynamics or the perceived fairness of appointments, using the social media post as a leverage point.
However, Dr. Ayensu-Danquah’s consistent refusal to authenticate the unverified document effectively shielded her from engaging directly on the potentially controversial content, allowing her to conclude the line of questioning without making any admissions.
Her approach demonstrated a keen awareness of procedural and evidentiary rules, leveraging them to her advantage in a high-stakes parliamentary session.
Profile of Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah
Prof. Ayensu-Danquah’s impressive credentials span clinical practice, academia and public health across two continents.
A first-time MP, she is a board-certified general surgeon with advanced fellowship training in trauma, burns, and reconstructive surgery.
She also holds medical degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and the University of Southern California, along with a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, all in the United States of America.
The Essikado-Ketan lawmaker currently maintains active medical licences in California, Michigan and Maryland in the United States. She also operates a private surgical facility in Accra and serves as an Adjunct Professor of Surgery at the University of Utah’s Centre for Global Surgery.
Beyond her impressive clinical work, Prof. Ayensu-Danquah has made substantial contributions to Ghana’s health care through her Healing Hands Organisation.
The non-governmental medical organisation provides free surgical and medical care to underserved communities and donates essential medical equipment to rural health facilities.
Her commitment to public health governance is evident through her service on the Technical Advisory Committee on the Safety of Vaccines and Biological Products of Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority, and her role as a board member of Days for Girls International Ghana.
Professional recognition
The distinguished surgeon is a fellow of multiple prestigious medical colleges, including the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, the American College of Surgeons, the International College of Surgeons, and the West African College of Surgeons.
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