The parliamentary chaos is an outgrowth of our highly polarised politics – Prempeh

Executive Director of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development Professor H Kwasi Prempeh has said that the chaos that occurred during the vetting of the ministerial nominees clearly shows how polarised Ghana’s politics has become.

Speaking on the Agenda show on TV3 on Tuesday, February 4, the Chair of the Constitutional Review Committee said “The parliamentary chaos is an outgrowth of our highly polarised binary politics.”

Four were suspended for their role in the chaotic scenes witnessed on the evening of Thursday, January 30 during proceedings of the Appointments Committee.

The MPs are; Frank Annor Dompreh, Rockson Dafeamekpor, Hassan Tampuli, and Jerry Ahmed Shaibu.

They were captured on camera pushing and shoving each other as well as pulling and dragging tables, leading to the destruction of microphones used by the Committee.

The chaos resulted from disagreement among members of the Minority and Majority sides of the Appointments Committee.

While members of the Minority felt that they had had a long day, and thus could not continue vetting nominees after 10:00pm, the Majority members said the exercise could proceed without them.

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But the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin lifted the suspension following an appeal to him by the Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Marin to lift the suspension, a plea which was supported by the Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga.

“We have cooperated with the Majority members to vet the President’s in record time. We plead with you to rescind your decision,” Afenyo-Markin said.

The speaker in his ruling on Tuesday indicated that the affected MPs had shown remorse hence his decision to lift the embargo on them.

“As a father, when your son commits an offence, you don’t punish your son to the extent of breaking his leg”  Bagbin said.

” I will proceed to lift the suspension of the four Members of Parliament. The MPs who were affected can now return to the chamber or join sittings,” he added.

“To whom much is given much is expected, ” he added.