Bagbin in trouble as Fixing The Country  Movement calls for his removal from office

Fixing The Country Movement has called for investigations and possible removal of the Speaker of Parliament,  Alban Sumana Bagbin from office.

Addressing a press conference in Accra, political strategist and convener of Fixing the country movement, Mr Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah Bonsu said "Several decades after Gingrich’s famous intervention in Congress, Rt. Honourable Bagbin failed to lead in the manner that epitomizes integrity and respect for the institutions of democracy."

He stated that the Fixing the country movement deems Bagbin’s extraordinary claim of parliamentary privilege as a speaker, to covertly attempt to engage in constitutional coup d’etat with the connivance of the minority caucus during the passage of the 2022 Budget statement, not only disagreeing to the institution of parliament but sees it as an affront to due process.

"Let's face it, Bagbin has defied the law and thrust aside the constitution in an attempt to assault the Akufo-Addo presidency in a fashion akin to coup d’etat.

"The Speaker violated Article 104 of the constitution and Order 109 of the standing orders of Parliament,' he stated.

Indeed his troubling departure from conventions and laid down due process must be a matter of concern to us all.

Parliament house was designed as a classical house consecrated to democracy, which is why the speaker’s unprecedented assault on our democracy ought to be investigated and if possible remove from office.

Most legislatures all over the world have a way of dealing with the Bagbin- like a situation that we find ourselves in. They have established procedures to investigate and, if necessary, remove undesired speakers from the office. 

In 1695, he said the British House of Commons empanelled a committee to investigate Speaker Sir John Trevor; in 1989 the US House of Representatives empanelled the Ethics Committee to investigate Speaker Jim Wright. 

According to him, the same thing occurred in the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago in 1995. Speaker Seapaul was eventually removed from office.

According to him, Ghana needs to follow suit and deal with Bagbin ruthlessly. Every true defender of democracy ought to stand up and be counted. The horrific assault on our democracy by the speaker must not go unchallenged.

He stressed that "We must collectively show to the country and to the world that we would not be diverted from our duty to invalidate the speaker’s actions.

"And despite the desecration of our democracy by the speaker, Parliament must uphold its responsibility to the Constitution and to the Ghanaian people" he noted.

 Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu