The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has reiterated the importance of following parliamentary procedures in addressing disciplinary matters within the House.
His comments come in response to Speaker Alban Bagbin’s decision to suspend some MPs from parliamentary sittings for two weeks.
The suspended MPs include the two chief Whips for both the Minority and Majority caucuses, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor and Frank Annoh-Dompreh, as well as Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli and Jerry Ahmed Shaib on January 31.
Meanwhile, the Speaker has also set up a Committee to probe the incident.
The suspension comes after an incident that the Speaker described as an embarrassment to the institution of Parliament.
Speaker Bagbin has directed the Parliamentary Marshal to prevent the suspended MPs from entering the chamber for the period.
The decision was made in light of the disorder that occurred during the vetting of ministerial nominees, which disrupted the smooth conduct of the committee’s work. Tables and microphones were broken in the process, with some MPs nearly engaging blows.
While acknowledging the Speaker’s justified frustration over the incidents, Oppong Nkrumah emphasized that due process must be observed. “While Mr Speaker is justified in his righteous anger, the processes in accordance with the standing orders should be followed,” he stated.
“We will be taking steps to bring it to the Speaker’s attention and we will be drawing his attention to the various orders that provide for how these matters should be handled,: he said in an interview on Accra-based Channel One TV.
“He further indicated that steps would be taken to engage the Speaker on the matter, ensuring adherence to established parliamentary procedures.”
“We are hopeful that the Speaker when his attention is drawn to these orders, will ensure that the right thing is done,” he added.
Meanwhile, Parliament’s Appointments Committee is set to recommend the approval of Foreign Affairs Minister-designate Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Health Minister-designate Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, and ten other nominees who were vetted on Friday, January 31.