ELS: MBN360 POLITICS
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has accused the Speaker of treating the Member of Parliament for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, unfairly after he was directed to leave the chamber despite withdrawing comments he had made concerning the alleged sale of diplomatic passports.
The Minority says the Speaker’s decision was disproportionate and amounted to parliamentary bullying, insisting that the incident raises concerns about the protection of minority participation and Parliament’s oversight responsibilities.
Addressing the media in Parliament on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said Mr Jinapor had complied with the Speaker’s directive by withdrawing the comments but was still asked to leave the chamber.
He said the Minority considered the action unjustified, prompting members of the caucus to walk out in solidarity with their colleague.
“An express withdrawal in compliance with a Speaker’s directive deserves acknowledgement, not punishment,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said.
He acknowledged the Speaker’s responsibility to maintain order in the House but stressed that such authority must be exercised with restraint and fairness.
The Minority Leader also raised concerns about alleged irregularities in the acquisition of diplomatic and service passports, claiming that supporting material suggested possible false representations and impersonation in the process.
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He said the caucus, through its Foreign Affairs team, would present its evidence for scrutiny and called for the matter to be investigated, with those implicated given the opportunity to respond.
“A diplomatic passport carries the authority and reputation of the Republic. Any credible indication that it is being obtained through false representations demands scrutiny of the highest seriousness,” he stated.
Mr Afenyo-Markin further argued that Article 103 of the Constitution provides for parliamentary committees to investigate ministries and departments, insisting that Parliament must remain open to scrutiny even when the issues raised are uncomfortable.
He also cautioned against what he described as the use of parliamentary numbers to frustrate accountability, warning that an electoral mandate does not give the Majority the licence to suppress scrutiny.
“An electoral mandate grants no licence to suffocate accountability,” he said.
The Minority Leader reaffirmed the caucus’s commitment to holding the government accountable, declaring that it would not be intimidated or silenced in the discharge of its parliamentary responsibilities.
“We shall not be moved. We shall not be cowed, and we surely shall not be silenced,” he said.
He also challenged the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to address the concerns raised, recalling his own record of demanding accountability while in opposition.
