J.H. Mensah would be appalled by boxing in Parliament

Former Attorney General and Second Deputy Speaker of Ghana’s Sixth Parliament, Joe Ghartey, has expressed deep disappointment over the recent altercation in Parliament, stating that the late J.H. Mensah would have been appalled by such behavior among lawmakers.

Speaking in an interview with ABC News GH on Thursday, February 6, 2025, Mr. Ghartey recalled the wisdom of the late statesman, who served under multiple governments and was known for his intellectual approach to parliamentary proceedings.

“But I remember J.H. Mensah of blessed memory. You remember he wasn’t too young—he was not a spring chicken. He was there during Nkrumah’s time, he was there in Busia’s time as a Minister, and he was there during Kufuor’s time. And somebody from his constituency once told him that he should step down for a younger person to take over,” Mr. Ghartey recounted.

According to him, Mensah famously responded by saying, ‘we are not going to box in Parliament. Parliament is not a boxing ring. We are going to think. But if Parliament was a boxing ring, then because of his age, he would come home.’

“Well, so J.H. Mensah of blessed memory, if you can hear me, your Parliament has been turned into a boxing ring. It is regrettable, and it shouldn’t happen,” Ghartey lamented.

His comments follow the chaotic scenes in Parliament on Thursday, January 30, 2025, during the vetting of ministerial nominees, which resulted in Speaker Alban Bagbin suspending four MPs for misconduct. The suspension has since been lifted, but the incident has reignited discussions about decorum in Parliament.

The former Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan emphasized that Parliament must remain a place for deep thought, debate, and national progress rather than physical confrontations. He urged lawmakers to uphold the dignity of the institution and resolve disagreements through dialogue rather than aggression.