The Executive Director of Africa Parliamentary Network Services, Sammy Obeng, has said the controversy surrounding the removal of Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor from Parliament’s chamber could have been avoided if the matter had been handled differently.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Morning Show in Accra-Tema, Mr Obeng said although the Speaker of Parliament has the authority to maintain discipline and order in the House, such powers must be exercised within the framework of parliamentary rules and procedures.
He explained that the incident followed allegations by Mr Jinapor concerning diplomatic passports, which the Majority described as serious claims bordering on criminality.
According to him, the concerns raised by the Majority Leader prompted the Speaker to intervene and direct that parliamentary procedures be followed, eventually leading to Mr Jinapor’s removal from the chamber.
Mr Obeng stressed that Parliament is a house of records and lawmakers must support allegations made on the floor with credible and verifiable evidence.
He acknowledged that MPs have a responsibility to scrutinise the Executive and demand accountability from public officials but insisted that such oversight must be backed by substantiated facts.
“The lesson here is to ensure that, in doing that, we should be acting on the back of substantiated evidence,” he said.
He further observed that the disagreement escalated beyond the initial issue, contributing to a walkout by some Majority MPs, and suggested that the situation could have been handled differently, particularly after the disputed statement was retracted.
Mr Obeng maintained that the Speaker’s responsibility to maintain order must be balanced with Parliament’s constitutional duty to scrutinise government and address matters of public interest.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah