The leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has offered its support to the Minority Caucus in Parliament, particularly three Members of Parliament (MP) suspended by Speaker Alban Bagbin.
According to the NPP, the Speaker’s decision to suspend its members amounts to a “selective and autocratic posture”, describing it as “very dangerous.”
The Speaker, on Friday, January 31, 2025, suspended four MPs for two weeks for their involvement in the chaos that occurred during the Appointments Committee vetting process.
The affected MPs include two from the Minority side: Frank Annoh-Dompreh (Nsawam Adoagyiri MP) and Alhassan Tampuli (MP for Gushegu).
A special parliamentary committee, chaired by Ho West MP Emmanuel Bedzrah, has been tasked with investigating the incident and submitting a report within 10 days.
A statement from the NPP leadership, dated Monday, January 3, 2025, condemned the Speaker’s decision and strongly declares its solidarity with the suspended MPs.
“The Party sees this selective and autocratic posture of the Speaker as very dangerous, with all these actions packaged to cow the Minority into submission, consequently weakening its potential to hold the government accountable.
The Party calls on all, especially its Hon. Members of Parliament, to be assured of the Party’s unflinching support at all material times and fully supports the press conference of the Minority Caucus on 3rd February 2025 and its subsequent briefings,” it said.
The opposition party also stated that it does not accept the Speaker’s decision to suspend its members, which it said is in flagrant disregard of the Constitution of the Republic as well as the rules of natural justice.
“The Party hereby reiterates its position that it stands with its eighty-eight (88) gallant Hon. Members to address all forms of repression and unfairness in the application of the rules governing Parliament and the Nation,” Justin Kodua Frimpong, General Secretary of the party, added.
