The Member of Parliament for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, was escorted out of Parliament’s Chamber by a Parliamentary Marshal on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, after refusing to promptly withdraw an allegation that Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa was involved in the sale of diplomatic passports. The incident occurred during the first sitting of Parliament’s Third Meeting of the Second Session.
Mr Jinapor, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, alleged that diplomatic passports were being sold for between US$10,000 and US$50,000 at the US Embassy. Majority Leader James Agalga objected, asking him to substantiate the claim or withdraw it.
Speaker Alban Bagbin directed Mr Jinapor to withdraw the allegation, assuring him that he could raise it again if he came with evidence. After a prolonged exchange, the Speaker ordered the Marshal to escort him out of the Chamber, citing his failure to comply promptly with the directive.
Minority stages walkout
The Minority caucus staged a walkout in solidarity with Mr Jinapor. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin described the Speaker’s action as “harsh, high-handed and unfair,” arguing that the Majority Leader should have allowed an investigation into the allegations rather than insist on an immediate withdrawal.
The Minority has been pressing the government for answers over the issuance of Ghanaian diplomatic and service passports. The NPP has particularly questioned the issuance of service passports to six individuals whose official positions, it claims, were either inaccurately described or did not qualify them for the documents.
The party has petitioned the United States Embassy in Ghana to suspend recognition of the affected passports pending an independent verification of their eligibility.
South Africa evacuation dispute
Earlier on Tuesday, NPP supporters, led by the party’s youth wing, staged a demonstration in Accra dubbed “Yɛgye Yɛ Sika”, demanding accountability over the expenditure on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.
The protesters questioned the reported GH¢49.72 million spent on the evacuation of 1,964 Ghanaians, citing alleged discrepancies in payment records, duplicate entries and gaps in supporting documents. They also raised concerns about the issuance of diplomatic and service passports, demanding greater transparency over the eligibility of recipients and the authorities responsible for approving the documents.
The NPP has called for the resignation or dismissal of Mr Ablakwa, arguing that the allegations surrounding the evacuation expenditure require an independent investigation. The party has also urged the Attorney-General and the Office of the Special Prosecutor to investigate the matter.
Mr Ablakwa has rejected the allegations of financial wrongdoing, maintaining that every evacuee, including minors, received the full GH¢5,500 support package and that no money is missing. He has invited the Auditor-General to conduct a comprehensive audit of evacuation exercises since 2017.
The parliamentary incident adds another dimension to the growing disagreement between the Majority and Minority over the Minister’s handling of the evacuation exercise and the diplomatic passport controversy.
Story by Freedom Etsey Lavoe
