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The Minority Caucus in Parliament staged a walkout on Tuesday evening in protest against Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin’s decision to order the Member of Parliament for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, out of the Chamber following a disagreement over allegations of the sale of Ghanaian diplomatic passports.
The incident occurred after Mr Jinapor, who is also the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, raised concerns that Ghanaian diplomatic passports were allegedly being sold for amounts ranging from GH¢50,000 to $50,000.
Mr Jinapor described the alleged practice as a serious threat to Ghana’s international reputation and called for parliamentary scrutiny of the matter.
He told the House that he had what he described as “unimpeachable evidence” that diplomatic passports were being sold.
However, the Majority Leader, James Agalga, objected to the allegation, arguing that it amounted to a serious accusation of criminal conduct that required supporting evidence.
He urged the Speaker to direct Mr Jinapor to withdraw the allegation and have the relevant portion expunged from the parliamentary records.
Speaker Orders Abu Jinapor to Withdraw Allegation
In response, Mr Jinapor maintained that he had evidence to support his claim and insisted that the allegation was already in the public domain.
Speaker Bagbin subsequently directed him to withdraw the statement, assuring him that he could return to the matter through the appropriate parliamentary process once he had presented the necessary evidence.
Although Mr Jinapor indicated that he was prepared to withdraw the allegation and revisit the issue, the Speaker considered his response insufficient and instructed the Marshal to escort him out of the Chamber.
“Marshal, please carry out the orders immediately. Honourable Abu Jinapor, please walk out of this place or you will be taken out,” the Speaker directed.
Mr Jinapor was later seen packing his books and leaving the Chamber.
Minority MPs Stage Walkout in Solidarity
Following the Speaker’s directive, Minority MPs also walked out of the Chamber in solidarity with their colleague.
The caucus maintained that the alleged sale of diplomatic passports was a matter of significant public interest that deserved parliamentary attention.
Afenyo-Markin Describes Speaker’s Decision as High-Handed
Speaking to journalists after the walkout, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin criticised the Speaker’s decision, describing it as “harsh, high-handed and mostly unfair” to Mr Jinapor.
Mr Afenyo-Markin argued that Parliament should have allowed the matter to be examined, suggesting that the Foreign Affairs Minister could have been invited to brief the House.
He also proposed that a bipartisan committee could be considered if further investigations were necessary.
According to him, Members of Parliament should be able to raise issues of public concern for scrutiny without necessarily having to establish every detail before the matter is considered.
The Minority Leader further insisted that Mr Jinapor had indicated his willingness to withdraw the allegation and return to it with supporting evidence.
He said the Minority leadership had attempted to draw the Speaker’s attention to resolve the disagreement but was unsuccessful.
Mr Afenyo-Markin explained that the caucus eventually decided to leave the Chamber in solidarity with their colleague and to prevent the situation from escalating.
The controversy has brought renewed attention to concerns surrounding the issuance and alleged sale of Ghanaian diplomatic passports, an issue with potential implications for the country’s international reputation.
The allegation of passport sales remains a claim raised in Parliament and should not be treated as an established fact without the outcome of an investigation.
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