on four Members of the House but insisted his action was justified by the Standing Orders.
The suspension, which barred the affected MPs from accessing the precincts of Parliament for two weeks, was lifted on Tuesday, February 4, 2025 following what the Speaker said was an apology by both the majority and the minority leaders in conclave, and then on the plenary.
According to the Speaker, beyond the apology by words, members also demonstrated and assured him of their total support and the deputies to ensure efficient and effective functioning of Parliament.
“So, I am satisfied with not just the statement but also their conduct. And I will proceed to lift the suspension of the four members of Parliament that I considered were involved in disorderly conduct, which amounted to contempt.
“So, I have lifted the suspension order, and I do so instantly, and it takes effect immediately. The honourable members who are affected are permitted now to enter the presence of the House,” Speaker Bagbin stated.
PROBE
Meanwhile, the ad hoc committee the Speaker set up to investigate the chaos and report to the House in ten days from last Friday would do its work, regardless of the suspension of the ban.
The Speaker, after lifting the ban yesterday, also announced that “And I promise you, the investigations will continue. The report will be brought to the House. The House will have an opportunity to take a decision. That is the procedure outlined by our rules, by our practice and by the custom and convention of the House.”
He told the leaders to make themselves available to the committee and to state exactly what happened “because we want nothing but facts so that we can apply the rules correctly. I urge the committee not to make it a matter of public debate.”
The four affected MPs, until after the announcement that the ban had been lifted were not seen in the precincts of Parliament yesterday.
They are MP for Gushegu, Alhassan Tampuli, MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh; MP for Weija-Gbawe, Mahama Shaib and MP for Akatsi South, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor.
JUSTIFICATION
The decision by Speaker Bagbin that suspended the four MPs was challenged by former Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and former NDC MP Inusah Fuseini.
They argued that the Speaker did not have the authority to suspend any member without a recommendation from a parliamentary committee with the mandate to do that.
However, Speaker Bagbin on Tuesday indicated that the Standing Orders of Parliament gave him the authority to preserve the dignity and orderliness of Parliament.
He stressed that as the Speaker he exercises the powers and creates an environment for the MPs to be able to perform their function, which he does according to the rules.
He acknowledged that people could disagree with him as the Speaker, but the rules define what could be referred to as disorder or contempt of Parliament.
“And for me to preserve and uphold that might, majesty and dignity of the House, I should not shed any responsibility in applying and enforcing the rules. And that was exactly what I did,” he stated.
He continued that, “The rules are very clear and I did refer to them and stated clearly that because we are in the transitional mood, we will not be able to put committees in place, including that of the Privileges and Immunities Committee. And the Standing Orders grant me the power and authority to do what I did.
“And clearly, the jurisprudence is very clear that when contempt is committed in facie curiae. You don’t proceed to set up another committee or court or whatever to investigate and submit a report. And so, I referred to the one in Parliament.”
The majority and minority leaders, who both made separate statements to call on the Speaker to rescind his decision, expressed gratitude to him for lifting the suspension.
Interesting, the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin in his statement did not challenge the decision by the Speaker; instead he said he “accepts responsibility” for the chaos.
