The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has called on the Ministers of Parliament (MPs) to conduct themselves in a manner that meets societal expectations, reminding them that their positions of authority come with a purpose.
The Speaker made this call in parliament on Tuesday, February 4, 2024, during his address regarding the chaos that erupted in parliament during the appointment committee’s vetting last Thursday.
During his address, Alban Bagbin cited the popular saying, “To whom much is given, much is expected,” advising the MPs that they should behave as expected because their positions were given to them by their people purposefully.
“To whom much is given, much is expected. You are not called honorable for nothing. They expect so much from you,” he said.
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Speaker Alban Bagbin assured the house that investigations into last week’s chaos will proceed, and upon receiving the reports, the house will make definitive decisions on the matter.
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Chaos erupted in Ghana’s Parliament on Thursday night, sparked by a heated dispute over the vetting of Ministers-designate, particularly the Foreign Affairs Minister-designate, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. The situation escalated to the point where police intervention was necessary to restore calm, and Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga had to step in, suspending proceedings for the day.
The clashes began between Members of Parliament from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on the Appointments Committee of Parliament. The controversy stemmed from the Majority’s insistence on continuing the vetting session beyond 10 PM, while the Minority vehemently opposed the move, stating they had concluded vetting for the day.
This resulted in damaged tables, chairs, and microphones in the conference room, where the vetting of President John Mahama’s ministerial appointees had been ongoing for approximately three weeks.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, suspended four members of parliament following the chaotic incident.
However, the Speaker today has lifted the suspension of these members of parliament