Speaker Bagbin refers Afenyo-Markin to privileges committee for contempt

Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has cited Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin for contempt of Parliament and referred him to the Privileges Committee for further investigation.

The move comes after Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga submitted a petition against Afenyo-Markin for defying a parliamentary decision that excluded him from Ghana’s ECOWAS Parliament delegation.

Presiding over proceedings on Thursday, November 27, Speaker 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 carry out its duties with professionalism and impartiality while advising MPs to refrain from public commentary on the matter. “I urge the Committee to discharge its mandate with decorum and impartiality. I urge MPs to refrain from public commentary,” he said.

The controversy dates back to November 11, when Ayariga petitioned the Speaker, alleging that Afenyo-Markin ignored a parliamentary resolution removing him from the ECOWAS delegation.

According to the petition, Afenyo-Markin appeared in Port Harcourt despite his replacement on the team, prompting the ECOWAS Parliament to initially refuse to swear in Ghana’s delegation. The matter was reportedly resolved only after Ghana threatened to withdraw entirely from the ECOWAS Parliament.

In his petition, Ayariga described the Minority Leader’s actions as a breach of parliamentary privilege and called for appropriate disciplinary measures.