Ghana Parliament: Speaker Bagbin warns MPs amid legislative tension

The Parliament of Ghana has resumed its third meeting of the second session, facing a heavy legislative agenda that includes the 2027 Budget Statement and the reconsideration of the controversial Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill. Speaker Alban Bagbin has issued several warnings to lawmakers, including a commitment to name any members who attempt to obstruct the passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and a directive to strictly enforce punctuality for all proceedings.

Parliamentary proceedings were recently disrupted when the Minority caucus staged a walkout following the ejection of Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor. The removal occurred after Jinapor made allegations regarding the sale of diplomatic passports, which Speaker Bagbin ordered him to withdraw. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin criticized the Speaker’s decision as “high-handed,” arguing that the House should have investigated the claims through committee rather than sanctioning the MP.

In a separate push for accountability, Speaker Bagbin and Minority Leader Afenyo-Markin have both called for more rigorous oversight of public funds. Speaking at an AFROPAC conference, Bagbin urged the Public Accounts Committee to use its power to detain officials when necessary to ensure discipline. Meanwhile, Afenyo-Markin has demanded an independent audit of payments made to Ghanaians evacuated from South Africa, citing discrepancies between official government figures and reports from returnees.