The Minority Caucus in Ghana’s Parliament has strongly condemned the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, for suspending three of their members from parliamentary proceedings for two weeks, effective January 31, 2025.
In a press statement, the Minority described the suspension of Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh (Nsawam-Adoagyiri), Hon. Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli (Gushegu), and Hon.
Jerry Ahmed Shaib (Weija-Gbawe) as an “overreach of parliamentary authority, a blatant display of selective justice, and an attack on democratic principles.”
The group linked the suspension to events that transpired during the vetting of ministerial nominees, citing deep frustrations over the Majority’s alleged attempts to force decisions without consensus.
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They argued that the incident leading to minor property damage was not a premeditated act but rather a reflection of the growing tensions caused by the Majority and the perceived lack of impartiality from the Chairman of the Appointments Committee.
Criticizing the Speaker’s unilateral decision, the Minority stated that the suspension was imposed without due process and without allowing the affected MPs to be heard under Article 19 (1) of the Constitution.
They warned that such actions set a dangerous precedent where the Speaker could arbitrarily punish MPs based on perceived disobedience rather than adherence to parliamentary rules.
The Minority further accused Speaker Bagbin of inconsistency, pointing out that he had presided over similar or worse incidents in the past without imposing such severe punitive measures.
They argued that his failure to apply the same standard suggests political motivation aimed at intimidating MPs and silencing dissent.
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