Additionally, a police investigation has been ordered, and a parliamentary committee will investigate the matter, with findings due in two weeks.
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has suspended four MPs after a chaotic incident during yesterday’s Appointments Committee sitting.
The suspension of Rockson Dafeamekpor, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli, and Jerry Ahmed Shaib, lasts for two weeks, and the MPs will be barred from entering Parliament until further notice.
The Speaker condemned the incident as an embarrassment to Parliament and stressed the need for order and discipline. He warned of further action if similar disruptions occur.
Additionally, a police investigation has been ordered, and a parliamentary committee will investigate the matter, with findings due in two weeks.
The suspended MPs will bear the costs of the damages, deducted from their emoluments. Speaker Bagbin assured the public that Parliament is committed to upholding its integrity.
Background
A heated confrontation erupted in Parliament as Minority and Majority MPs clashed over the vetting of Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa by the Appointments Committee.
Tensions flared when the Minority demanded a rescheduling of the vetting to Friday (30 January) arguing that the day’s proceedings had been disrupted. However, the Majority firmly opposed the request, insisting that the vetting continue as planned.
The disagreement escalated into chaos, with some Minority members resorting to breaking tables and microphones in an attempt to prevent any further proceedings.
Despite this, the Majority stood its ground, maintaining that the committee was adhering to its established schedule.
As tensions mounted, security personnel were deployed to restore order in the conference room. The Minority, however, remained resolute, insisting that no additional nominees should be vetted beyond the four already agreed upon for the day.
With neither side willing to concede, the standoff brought the committee’s work to a halt, leaving the fate of the vetting process uncertain.
Reporting By Jonathan Ofori, Asaase Newsroom
