Speaker Bagbin drags Adwoa Safo, Ken Agyapong, Henry Quartey to Privileges Committee but Muntaka disagrees

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has referred three New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) to the Privileges Committee of Parliament after receiving a petition against them for absenting themselves from Parliament without permission for more than fifteen sittings.

The MPs are Kennedy Agyapong, Sarah Adwoa Safo and Henry Quartey.

But during proceedings, National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Asawase contested the Speaker’s ruling and said if the decision is allowed to stand, it will set a dangerous precedence which can be used by a “dictator speaker” in future to hurt lawmakers.

“If we allow this to stand it will become precedent, tomorrow it may hurt all of us,” he said.

It is recalled that Former Kumbungu Member of Parliament, Ras Mubarak, petitioned the Speaker of Parliament to discipline these lawmakers for absenting themselves from Parliament without permission.

In his petition, he said “It has come to my notice through parliament’s Hansard, and newspaper and radio reports that some four Members of Parliament, namely Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo, MP for Dome-Kwabenya; Hon. Henry Quartey, MP for Ayawaso Central; Hon. Ebenezer Kojo Kum, MP for Ahanta West; and Hon. Ken Ohene Agyapong, MP for Assin Central have all absented themselves from Parliament for more

than fifteen sittings of a meeting of Parliament without the permission of Mr. Speaker in writing.

“In view of this reported breach of the constitutional provision, I respectfully petition your high office to direct for their conduct to be referred to the Privileges Committee for consideration and necessary action.”

Below is his full petition…

The Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament,

Parliament House, Osu

Accra.

2nd March 2022.

Dear Mr. Speaker,

PETITION TO ENFORCE ARTICLE 97(1)C OF 1992 CONSTITUTION:

I write to petition your high office to respectfully enforce the provisions of article 97(1)c of the 1992 constitution of Ghana and parliament’s Standing Order number 16(1).

It has come to my notice through parliament’s Hansard, and newspaper and radio reports that some four Members of Parliament, namely Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo, MP for Dome-Kwabenya; Hon. Henry Quartey, MP for Ayawaso Central Hon. Ebenezer Kojo Kum, MP for Ahanta West; and Hon. Ken Ohene Agyapong, MP for Assin Central have all absented themselves from Parliament for more than fifteen sittings of a meeting of Parliament without the permission of Mr. Speaker in writing.

In view of this reported breach of the constitutional provision, I respectfully petition your high office to direct for their conduct to be referred to the Privileges Committee for consideration and necessary action. Mr. Speaker may recall that in the 7th Parliament, the people of Lower West Akyem did not have representation in Parliament for nearly two years, as their then MP had been absent for more than fifteen sittings of several meetings of Parliament without the permission of Mr. Speaker in writing.

Leadership of the House at the time swept the the absence of the MP, which conduct breached the 1992 constitution and Standing Order 16(1) of the Standing Orders of Parliament under the rug.

The Standing Orders of Parliament is not clear as to who can or should raise the matter of absenteeism on the floor of the House for a debate and or referral by Mr. Speaker to the Committee on Privileges. But it is incidences like this, if unattended to that threaten our democracy. According to the Afrobarometer data, trust in Parliament has fallen by 12% between 2002 and 2019. The report

ranked Parliament as the third corrupt institution in our country – just behind the Police and Judges.

I humbly submit that democracy can only work if Parliament puts the common good ahead of party and personal interest. At a time of seeming collapse of trust in politics and Parliament as an institution, it is my fervent prayer that the House would rise to the occasion and be UNITED on this matter, so as to uphold our constitution and also win back waned public confidence.

Respectfully Submitted:

Ras Mubarak

NTHC Prestige Homes,

South Side, Otanor

Accra.

cc:

1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Parliament House, Osu.

2nd Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Parliament House, Osu.

The Majority Leader, Parliament House, Osu

The Minority Leader, Parliament House, Osu

The Majority Chief Whip Parliament House, Osu.

The Minority Chief Whip, Parliament House, Osu.