Abu Jinapor’s removal ‘unfair and high-handed’ – Minority Leader to Speaker

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has criticised Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin over the decision to order the removal of Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor from the Chamber, describing the action as high-handed.

He argued that Members of Parliament were not required to establish the facts of allegations before bringing them to the attention of the House, insisting that their responsibility included raising concerns for further investigation by the appropriate parliamentary committees.

Speaking to the press on November 3, Mr Afenyo-Markin said the Majority Leader should have taken Mr Jinapor's comments on board and initiated a process for further investigation rather than insisting that he withdraw the allegations.

The controversy arose after Mr Jinapor accused Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of selling diplomatic passports and was directed to withdraw the allegation.

Mr Jinapor was subsequently escorted out of the Chamber by a Parliamentary Marshal after he failed to comply with the Speaker's directive. The Minority caucus followed him out in solidarity.

However, Mr Afenyo-Markin said the Minority had understood that Mr Jinapor had withdrawn the statement, questioning why the Speaker still proceeded with the order for his removal.

He maintained that parliamentary proceedings should provide members with the opportunity to raise matters of public concern, particularly allegations requiring scrutiny by relevant committees.

According to the Minority Leader, the appropriate response to the allegations against the Foreign Affairs Minister should have been to initiate an investigation to establish the facts.

He said the Majority Leader should have recognised the concerns raised and supported a process through which the relevant parliamentary committee could examine the allegations.

Mr Afenyo-Markin's comments came amid heightened tensions between the Majority and Minority over the Foreign Affairs Minister's handling of the issuance of diplomatic passports and the expenditure on the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa.

Earlier on Tuesday, NPP supporters staged a demonstration demanding accountability over alleged financial irregularities in the South Africa evacuation exercise and calling for Mr Ablakwa's resignation.

The Minority has also raised concerns about the issuance of diplomatic passports, insisting that allegations of irregularities should be investigated rather than dismissed.

The Foreign Affairs Minister has faced sustained scrutiny from the opposition over the two issues.