KEY POINTS
- Minority MPs protested Speaker Bagbin’s suspension of four lawmakers.
- Security was heightened to block the suspended MPs from entering Parliament.
- Opposition lawmakers vowed to resist what they call an unfair decision.
Parliament was thrown into disarray on Tuesday as Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) staged a protest against Speaker Alban Bagbin’s suspension of four of their colleagues.
The MPs displayed their defiance through patriotic singing and party anthems, as they marched through the chamber wearing red and black attire.
The suspended lawmakers—Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor (South Dayi), Frank Annoh-Dompreh (Nsawam-Adoagyiri), Alhassan Tampuli (Gushegu), and Jerry Ahmed Shaib (Weija-Gbawe)—were barred from proceedings for two weeks following their involvement in a heated confrontation during a ministerial vetting session on January 30.
Speaker Bagbin defended his decision, stating that the MPs’ actions disrupted parliamentary order. However, the Minority caucus rejected the suspension, arguing that the affected MPs were not given a fair hearing before the ruling.
Heightened security and growing tensions
The security presence at Parliament increased landmarkly as police officers established barriers to block suspended parliamentary members from accessing the chamber.
The Speaker’s action led opposition MPs to charge that his decision attempted both silencing the Minority group and reducing their power.
Moreover, speaking at a press briefing, Takoradi MP Kwabena Okyere Darko criticized the Speaker’s decision, calling it an attempt to suppress dissent.
“The chamber is our workspace, and we should be allowed in without any undue hindrance. This is a subtle way of trying to suppress the strong and vocal Minority in Parliament,” he said.
Darko challenged the legal basis of the suspension while asserting that Speaker Bagbin exceeded his power.
“To start with, does the Speaker even have the right to suspend them? This is a calculated move to weaken us,” he added.
Political fallout and calls for reversal
The suspension triggered increased political stress after many Members of the Minority Caucus declared their plan to fight this unilateral and unjust choice.
According to Graphic Online, opposition lawmakers have demanded an immediate reversal of the suspension, warning that failure to do so could affect key parliamentary proceedings.
“This is not just about four MPs; it is about democracy and fairness. We will not stand by while our voices are silenced,” one Minority MP stated.
