The Minority Caucus in Ghana’s Parliament has strongly condemned the actions of Ms. Victoria Emeafa Hardcastle, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, following allegations of misconduct that they describe as “egregious contempt” towards the Legislature.

The Caucus claims that Ms. Hardcastle referred to Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Minority Chief Whip and senior Member of Parliament, as ‘silly’ after allegedly attempting to direct him in the execution of his parliamentary duties.

This behavior, according to the Minority, represents a blatant attack on the authority and dignity of Parliament, which must be met with stern consequences.

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin condemned the incident in a statement, calling it one of the most severe recent assaults on the dignity of Parliament. “Such behavior strikes at the foundation of our democracy and must be met with firm parliamentary sanctions,” he emphasized.

The matter was raised on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, January 28, sparking outrage from both sides of the House. Legislators expressed their disapproval of the perceived disrespect towards Parliament.

Referring to past precedents, such as the case of Hon. K.T. Hammond v. William Ampem Darko, Afenyo-Markin stressed that no public official is authorized to verbally attack or undermine a Member of Parliament in the discharge of their duties.

“This Parliament has always stood firm in safeguarding its privileges. The dignity of this House is non-negotiable, and any attempt to undermine it will face severe consequences,” he said.

With Parliament’s Committee on Privileges and Immunities yet to be constituted, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, has taken it upon himself to hear representations from both parties on Thursday, January 30. A ruling is expected on Friday, which is likely to set a strong precedent for similar cases in the future.

The Minority Caucus has proposed a range of potential penalties, including fines, temporary suspension from Parliament, a mandatory public apology, and even imprisonment.

They stressed that public officials must adhere to the highest standards of decorum and respect when engaging with Parliament.

“We expect nothing less than a decisive ruling from the Speaker that will deter future occurrences of such contemptuous behavior,” added Afenyo-Markin.

 

Source: Felix Nyaaba//expressnewsghana.com

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