Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has issued a stern warning to Members of Parliament (MPs) against the misuse of parliamentary privileges.
Addressing the House during the commencement of the second meeting of the Ninth Parliament on Tuesday, May 27, the Speaker emphasized that privileges granted to MPs are not meant to shield them from legal accountability.
“Parliament privileges is not immunity against the law,” he stated unequivocally, warning that such privileges were never intended as an escape route for members.
He added, “Misuse of privileges to frustrate legitimate investigation will not be condoned.”
Reiterating the message, Speaker Bagbin declared that all MPs are subject to the same laws as any other citizen, asserting, “Privileges is not immunity, and the law is the law is the law.”
His comment come amid growing concerns over attempts by some MPs to evade lawful scrutiny under the guise of parliamentary protection.
Beyond legal accountability, Bagbin also cautioned against absenteeism and general misconduct during parliamentary sittings.
He insisted that MPs seeking permission to be absent must receive a formal acceptance letter from the Speaker himself. “I am not a robot,” he said, making it clear that only reasonable requests would be granted.
“Honeymoon with rules is over; we will not allow misconduct and absenteeism,” Bagbin warned, urging members to take their duties seriously as Parliament reconvenes to tackle key governance issues.
As Parliament reconvenes, today marks another opportunity for members of the august House to come together and deliberate on serious government business.
By Ruth Sekyi
