The Minority Caucus in Parliament has vehemently kicked against the suspension of three New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament by Speaker Alban S.K. Bagbin, following a chaos during vetting on Thursday.
The NPP MPs Caucus has described the move as an excessive use of parliamentary authority and an example of selective justice.
The MPs affected by the suspension are Frank Annoh-Dompreh (Nsawam-Adoagyiri), Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli (Gushegu), and Jerry Ahmed Shaib (Weija-Gbawe). They have been suspended along with Majority Chief Whip, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor after they engaged in a violent clash on Thursday evening during sitting of Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
In a press statement on 31st January, 2025, the Minority Caucus condemned the Speaker’s ruling, and argued that it aimed at suppressing divergent views within Parliament.
Despite footages showing that some MPs from the Minority side was involved in the disruption of the vetting process, the NPP side of the House believes the Speaker’s directive is to suppress its members unfairly.
The Minority attributed the disturbances to rising frustration over procedural fairness, accusing the Majority of unilaterally pushing through decisions without consensus-building.
The Caucus also pointed to inconsistencies in the Speaker’s approach to disciplinary measures, recalling past incidents such as the 2021 Speakership election dispute, the E-Levy fracas, and the Supreme Court judge nomination hearings on 30th July 2024, where no punitive action was taken.
“Parliament, by its nature, is a forum for robust debate. The unfortunate incident that led to minor property damage was not a planned act but a reflection of tensions caused by the Majority and the Appointments Committee Chair’s failure to be impartial,” an excerpt of the statement said.
They also contended that the Speaker’s selective application of sanctions undermined his neutrality and eroded confidence in his leadership.
