Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has declared that he will not be intimidated by any parliamentary caucus, insisting that his decisions will be guided by what he considers right and in the national interest.

His remarks follow a walkout by the Minority Caucus after he ordered Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor to leave the parliamentary chamber during a heated disagreement over allegations of the sale of Ghanaian diplomatic passports.

Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Mr Bagbin defended his decision and questioned why the entire Minority Caucus chose to leave the chamber in protest over disciplinary action against one of its members.

“There is no way Mr Speaker, seated here, can be intimidated by any caucus, and it will not happen. I will do what I believe is right and in the national interest, simple and short,” he stated.

What triggered the parliamentary confrontation?

The disagreement began on Tuesday, November 3, when Mr Abu Jinapor, who is also the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, raised concerns about alleged sales of Ghanaian diplomatic passports.

The Damongo MP claimed that diplomatic passports were being sold for amounts ranging from US$10,000 to US$50,000.

He described the alleged practice as a serious matter requiring parliamentary attention and called for an investigation.

However, Majority Leader James Agalga challenged him to provide evidence to support the allegation, arguing that such a serious claim should not be made in Parliament without proper substantiation.

The disagreement escalated, leading Speaker Bagbin to direct Mr Jinapor to substantiate his claim or withdraw it.

Although the MP eventually withdrew the allegation, the Speaker ordered the Parliamentary Marshal to escort him out of the chamber, citing his failure to comply promptly with the directive.

Minority Caucus stages walkout

The Speaker’s decision prompted Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and other Minority MPs to walk out of the chamber in protest.

The caucus viewed the action against Mr Jinapor as unacceptable and expressed concerns about the treatment of its members during parliamentary proceedings.

However, Mr Bagbin maintained that the Minority had no justification for collectively defying his directive simply because one of its members had been ordered to leave.

He described the walkout as unnecessary and said the incident would be captured in Parliament’s official records.

The Speaker also explained that the Minority’s sudden departure prevented him from consulting the Office of the Clerk on whether Mr Jinapor’s remarks should be expunged from the official parliamentary record.

Bagbin defends his authority as Speaker

Mr Bagbin insisted that parliamentary proceedings must be conducted in accordance with the rules of the House and that decisions from the Speaker’s chair should be respected.

He maintained that neither the Majority nor the Minority Caucus would determine how he performs his constitutional responsibilities.

His comments have brought renewed attention to parliamentary discipline, the rights of MPs to raise concerns and the authority of the Speaker to maintain order during proceedings.

Meanwhile, the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has also maintained that the caucus will continue holding the government and its officials accountable.

The disagreement highlights the continuing tension between the two parliamentary sides over how allegations are raised, investigated and handled within the House.

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