A chaotic scene unfolded in Ghana’s Parliament on Thursday evening, as a ministerial vetting committee meeting descended into violence. The brawl, which resulted in the destruction of furniture and equipment, has led to the suspension of four lawmakers.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!According to eyewitnesses, the tensions flared when lawmakers from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) accused their counterparts from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of deliberately obstructing the proceedings by asking unnecessarily lengthy questions.
The situation escalated when Samuel Nartey George, the NDC’s nominee for communications minister, was subjected to over five hours of questioning. NDC lawmakers took umbrage with the prolonged interrogation, which they perceived as a delaying tactic by the NPP.
The disagreement eventually boiled over into physical confrontations, with tables and microphones overturned and committee members engaging in heated exchanges.
On Friday, Speaker Alban Bagbin condemned the disturbance, describing it as an insult to the institution of Parliament and a serious act of contempt. He announced the suspension of four lawmakers – Rockson Nelson Etse Kwame Dafeamakpor, Frank Annor-Dompreh, Alhassan Sulemana Tampuuli, and Jerry Ahmed Shaib – for their roles in the chaos.
Bagbin also established a special seven-member committee to investigate the incident and present its findings within 10 days. The Speaker further revealed that the costs of repairing the damaged property would be deducted from the salaries of the responsible lawmakers.
This incident marks the third time in four years that violence has erupted in Ghana’s Parliament. Previous incidents occurred in 2021 during the election of a new speaker and a contentious vote on the electronic transaction levy bill.
The latest disturbance has raised concerns about the level of decorum and respect among lawmakers in Ghana’s Parliament. As the country prepares for future elections, the incident serves as a reminder of the need for calm and constructive dialogue in the nation’s highest legislative body.