Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu challenges Speaker’s authority to suspend MPs

During an interview on Newsfile, he acknowledged that the Speaker acted by Order 342 of the revised Standing Orders by referring allegations of misconduct at the Appointments Committee to the Committee on Privileges and Immunities.

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Former Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has raised concerns over the Speaker of Parliament’s decision to suspend Members of Parliament (MPs), arguing that neither Ghana’s Constitution nor the Standing Orders provide the Speaker with such authority.

During an interview on Newsfile, he acknowledged that the Speaker acted by Order 342 of the revised Standing Orders by referring allegations of misconduct at the Appointments Committee to the Committee on Privileges and Immunities. 

However, he contended that imposing a two-week suspension on the MPs exceeded the Speaker’s legal jurisdiction.

Nevertheless, he challenged the directive suspending four MPs involved in the incident, questioning the legal foundation for such a decision. “Where is the Speaker deriving this authority from? Nowhere in the Constitution or the Standing Orders does it grant the Speaker such power,” he asserted.

Expanding on his argument, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu pointed out that Order 35 allows a presiding officer to remove an MP from parliamentary proceedings due to disorderly behavior, but this expulsion is limited to the duration of that day’s sitting rather than an extended period such as two weeks.

He further clarified that while the Speaker has the power to order the removal of an MP from Parliament’s chamber if misconduct occurs during a plenary session, such a directive should not extend beyond 24 hours.

Additionally, he argued that since the altercation took place during a committee session, it was the responsibility of the committee’s chairperson to take appropriate action, not the Speaker.