Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has suspended four Members of Parliament for two weeks following violent confrontations during the vetting of ministerial nominees by the Appointments Committee.
The Speaker, in a strongly worded statement on Friday, January 31, described the incident as a “disgraceful and deeply regrettable” episode that has brought Parliament into disrepute.
The chaos erupted during the committee’s proceedings on Thursday, January 30, and continued into Friday morning, prompting widespread public outrage. Speaker Bagbin, expressing his “righteous anger,” condemned the conduct of the involved MPs, stating, “What should have been a solemn exercise in parliamentary scrutiny degenerated into an appalling display of chaos and lawlessness, bringing this House into disrepute before the entire world.”
The four MPs suspended from parliamentary sittings for two weeks are Rockson Nelson Etse Kwame Dafeamakpor, Frank Annor-Dompreh, Alhassan Sulemana Tampuuli, and Jerry Ahmed Shaib.
Measures
The Speaker announced a series of immediate measures to address the situation. A seven-member special committee, chaired by Hon. Emmanuel Bedzrah, has been constituted to investigate the disorder and submit its findings within 10 days, with disciplinary action to follow for any MP found culpable.
Additionally, the Clerk to Parliament has been directed to assess the damage caused during the fracas, with the cost of repairs to be deducted from the salaries of responsible MPs rather than being covered by public funds.
The clerk has also been instructed to lodge a formal complaint with the Ghana Police Service to initiate a full criminal investigation.
Furthermore, the Committee of Selection has been tasked with reconstituting the Appointments Committee to ensure a smooth continuation of the vetting process.
Speaker Bagbin further warned that Parliament’s credibility has been severely undermined, stressing that “if members cannot engage in robust debate without resorting to physical aggression, then they are unfit to discharge the mandate bestowed upon them by the people of Ghana.”
He urged MPs to reflect on their actions, uphold the dignity of Parliament, and restore public confidence in the institution. “Parliament must and will do better,” he assured Ghanaians.
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