Former Majority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has strongly criticized Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Alban Bagbin, for suspending two whips from the Appointments Committee following a heated altercation between the Majority and Minority sides on Thursday.
Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo morning show, Mensah Bonsu described the Speaker’s decision as unlawful, arguing that parliamentary rules do not allow him to unilaterally suspend any MP beyond the day’s sitting.
“The constitution and the standing orders of Parliament do not permit the Speaker to take such action. The correct procedure would have been to refer the erring MPs to the Committee of Privileges, which has the authority to suspend members for up to nine months,” he stated.
His comments come after Speaker Bagbin, on January 31, suspended Frank Annoh-Dompreh (MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri), Alhassan Tampuli Sulemana (MP for Gushegu), Jerry Ahmed Shaib (MP for Weija-Gbawe), and Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor (MP for South Dayi) for two weeks, citing their conduct during the vetting of ministerial nominees as an “embarrassment to the institution of Parliament.”
Mensah Bonsu also raised concerns about the potential consequences of the Speaker’s ruling, questioning what would happen if an investigative committee later identified more MPs as culprits. “If some people have already been punished and more are found guilty, what will be the remedy?” he asked.
He further suggested that Speaker Bagbin acted out of frustration rather than following due process. “The path he chose is unlawful,” he concluded.
