Speaker Sacks NPP MP over Gross Misconduct in Chamber
Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, a septuagenarian lawmaker for the Sefwi Wiaso Constituency in the Western North, was forcibly removed from the parliamentary chamber on Monday, July 22, by the orders of the Speaker, Rt Hon Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, due to rude behavior.
This incident occurred after the NPP MP challenged the Speaker’s authority to allow preliminary comments on the referral of some nominees to the Supreme Court to the Appointments Committee.
The newly appointed Supreme Court nominees are Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah, a Justice of the Court of Appeal and Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong, a private legal practitioner.
These two nominees are to replace Professor Ashie Kotey, a Supreme Court judge who retired on October 2, 2023, and Justice Mariama Owusu, who will retire on November 18, 2024.
In a letter dated July 16, 2024, the President stated that the two nominees sought to fulfil the full complement of the Supreme Court.
The Speaker referred the nominees to the Appointments Committee and urged the house to consider the full complement of the Supreme Court when the committee presents its report on the nominees to the plenary for consideration.
However, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie asserted that it was not within the Speaker’s authority to make such prejudicial comments. “I believe that as a representative of the good people of Sefwi-Wiawso, it does not lie in your mouth to remind us of the things that you said,” he remarked.
In response, the Speaker ordered the Marshal to remove the MP from the house, describing his comment as rude and disrespectful.
“This is a completely rude remark, and I can send you out of the house now in light of my authority to do so. You represent the good people of Sefwi-Wiawso; I represent the whole country. Please, Marshal, take him out of the house. I will not tolerate such disrespect.”
Subsequently, the Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, apologized to the Speaker on behalf of the caucus. He stated, “Speaker, we acknowledge the wisdom you have guided us with, and how you have navigated us to this point. We have had moments of tension, but you have shown leadership throughout. It is incumbent upon us as a leadership to support you right now. What happened a moment ago was unfortunate.”
“So, on behalf of the entire caucus and my colleagues, I want to render my apologies to you and your office. We hope that this draws the curtain on the matter. We are very sorry and apologize sincerely for what happened. I say this on behalf of the member and also on behalf of the entire caucus. We are sorry.”
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Source: Felix Nyaaba // expressnewsghana.com
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