Speaker Alban Bagbin refers Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to Privileges Committee over alleged defiance of parliamentary resolution.
Matter referred to Privileges Committee for investigation and report to Parliament
Alleged breach involves defiance of parliamentary resolution on ECOWAS delegation
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has cited Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin for contempt and referred the matter to the Privileges Committee for further investigation.
The move follows a petition by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga, who accused Afenyo-Markin of opposing his exclusion from Ghana’s ECOWAS Parliament delegation.
Presiding over Thursday’s proceedings, November 27, Bagbin told the House:
“I refer the complaint against the Minority Leader to the Privileges Committee and report to the House.”
He urged the Committee to act with professionalism and impartiality while reminding MPs to refrain from public commentary on the matter.
The petition, filed on November 11, alleged that Afenyo-Markin defied a parliamentary resolution removing him from the ECOWAS delegation. According to Ayariga, the ECOWAS Parliament initially refused to swear in Ghana’s delegation after Afenyo-Markin appeared in Port Harcourt despite his replacement. The situation was only resolved after Ghana threatened to withdraw entirely from the ECOWAS Parliament.
Ayariga described Afenyo-Markin’s actions as a breach of parliamentary privilege and called for appropriate disciplinary action.
