Politics of Tuesday, 28 January 2025

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

'Without respect for Parliament and MPs, there is no democracy' - Bagbin reacts to clash between Annoh-Dompreh and Emeafa

Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has emphasised the importance of respect for Parliament and Members of Parliament in ensuring a functioning democracy.

Speaking on the Floor of Parliament on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, he stated that without respect for Parliament and its members, democracy itself is at risk.

He noted that parliamentarians are the protectors of the rights and dignities of the people, and if they themselves are disrespected, the foundation of the country is compromised.

"There is no democracy without respect for Parliament and parliamentarians; there is no democracy. We are the protectors of the rights and the dignities of our people.

"If we ourselves are endangered species, then nothing is left for our country. This is not the first time we are witnessing this since the inception of the Fourth Republic. We have so many instances of these conducts towards Members of Parliament, but these are some of the turmoil's eating and crushing our democracy. But even members themselves don't take them seriously. I think we need to," he noted.

Addressing the specific altercation between Member of Parliament of Nsawam Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, and the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, Emeafa Hardcastle, during a sitting of the Appointments Committee on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, Bagbin announced that he would personally take up the matter as the Privileges and Immunities Committee is not yet in place.

"And so, I will take up this matter myself and I will report back to the House, because I'll grant opportunity to the complainant and the suspect, and I'll go into the matter, take the appropriate action, and report back to the House. And definitely, I'll grant opportunity to the complainant in the House to make comments about my determination. And I think this will assist in solving the matter," he noted.

The Speaker also reminded the Appointments Committee to adhere to established rules during public hearings and called for more serious attention to these matters, urging that respect must be earned, as a critical aspect of maintaining a healthy democratic system.

"But before we ask for our pound of flesh, respect is earned. Please. Appointments Committee we have crafted rules of how Appointments Committee should conduct the business of public hearing," he noted.

His comments come in the wake of a heated altercation between Emeafa Hardcastle and Frank Annoh-Dompreh, during a sitting of the Appointments Committee on January 28, 2025.

The altercation escalated when Hardcastle referred to the MP’s caucus as a “micro minority,” leading to a back-and-forth that included accusations of disrespect.

In response to the threat, Hardcastle fired back, “You are threatening me that you will take me on because you are who? My friend, don’t bring yourself. What do you mean you are taking me on?”

JKB/AE

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