News:
May 28, 2025
Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has urged Members of Parliament to conduct themselves well as Ghanaians are watching lawmakers with a mixture of hope and doubt.
According to him Ghanaians want to believe in Parliament; however they are weary of years of unmet expectations as they expect Parliament to function not as an echo chamber of partisan interests but as a space where issues are confronted with clarity and courage. “If we do not rise to this moment, if we allow pettiness to crowd out principle, we would have failed the expectant public.
Ultimately, if Parliament falters, democracy suffers, it is that simple”, he noted during his welcome remarks at the beginning of the second meeting of the first session of the ninth parliament of the fourth Republic.
He further asserted that, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of official communications from law enforcement and investigative bodies directed at this House. These requests, many of which relate to the conduct of Members, must be treated with the seriousness they deserve.
Some of these matters relate to allegations arising before those accused became members of this House. Others, regrettably, concern conduct alleged to have taken place while members were in office. Either way, they raise questions that touch directly on the standing of this institution and the public’s perception of our collective integrity, he stated.
“Let me sound this loud and clear: parliamentary privilege is not immunity from lawful inquiry. It is not a licence to disregard the law. The immunities granted to this House and its members are designed to protect the independence of the legislature, not to obstruct justice. These provisions are institutional safeguards. They were never intended as escape routes for Hon Members”.
And added that where allegations are raised, due process must take their course and parliament’s position on this is non-negotiable.
Parliament will not standby while members are subjected to unlawful or politically motivated persecution. But neither will Parliament offer protection to those who seek to misuse its privileges to frustrate legitimate investigations, he warned.
The Speaker expressed his commitment to fully upholding the constitutional and procedural protections afforded to every member of the House. “The dignity of Parliament requires that its rules and privileges be respected. But it also requires that we do not mistake privilege for impunity. No member can act as though the confidence of the electorate is a shield against scrutiny”
Privilege is not impunity. Immunity is not invisibility. The law binds us all. And the law is the law”, he concluded.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com