MINORITY PROTEST SPEAKER BAGBIN'S DECISION TO SUSPEND MPs

Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) wearing black and red armbands have staged a protest at the entrance to the parliamentary chamber in solidarity with their suspended colleagues.

The protest on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, follows Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin’s suspension of four Members of Parliament for two weeks, following a chaotic incident that occurred during Thursday’s sitting of the Appointments Committee.

The suspended MPs include the two chief Whips for both the Minority and Majority caucuses, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor 
and Frank Annoh-Dompreh, as well as Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli and Jerry Ahmed Shaib.

Speaking to the media in parliament, the minority  criticised the Speaker for what they described as an improper suspension of MPs without following parliamentary standing orders.

“We have dressed like
 this in solidarity with our brothers that Mr. Speaker has purported to suspend without recourse to the standing orders,” they stated.

They stressed that while they the Minority understood the Speaker’s anger and had apologised to Ghanaians as a house, they firmly disagreed with the decision to suspend MPs unilaterally.

“The rules do not allow Mr. Speaker, on his own, without recourse to the law, to suspend members. That’s why we are in solidarity with them,” 

The Minority MPs called for the chamber doors to be opened, asserting that the house had been adjourned to noon and they expected proceedings to resume.

They revealed they have publicly spoken about the issues. We have made overtures to the office of the Speaker.