News:
February 1, 2025
The Minority in parliament has rejected the Speaker Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin’s suspension of three of their members; Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh (Nsawam-Adoagyiri), Hon, Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli (Gushegu), and Hon. Jerry Ahmed Shaib (Weija-Gbawe) which took effect from Friday, January 31, 2025.
The Minority noted that the decision by the Speaker is “an unfortunate overreach of parliamentary authority, a blatant display of selective justice, and an attack on the democratic principles that underpin our legislative process.”
In a press release, they stated that “The events that transpired during the vetting of ministerial nominees were bore out of deep-seated frustrations regarding the conduct of proceedings, the disregard for due process, and the Majority’s attempt to railroad decisions without consensus building. Parliament, by its very nature, is a forum for robust debate and passionate deliberation. The unfortunate incident that led to minor property damage was not a planned disruption but a manifestation of the growing tensions caused by the Majority and their members and the failure of the Chairman of the Appointments Committee to exercise impartiality.”
They contend that the Speaker’s decision to unilaterally suspend these three MPs—without due process in accordance with provisions enshrined in Standing Orders 130 (a) and (b), without an opportunity for them to be heard under Article 19 (1) of the Constitution and without first exhausting internal disciplinary mechanisms—sets a dangerous precedent. It signals an era where the Speaker can arbitrarily punish Members of Parliament based on perceived disobedience, rather than adherence to parliamentary rules and fairness.
They further stated that Parliament must remain a bastion of democracy, not an institution of oppression. The Ghanaian people deserve a Parliament where all voices are heard, not one where members are punished for their commitment to due process and accountability.
“Democracy thrives on fairness and justice, and we will not sit idle while our parliamentary democracy is undermined by selective application of rules.”
They have therefore rejected the suspension of the three MPs and demand an immediate reversal of the decision.
Ghanamps.com