The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has mounted a strong defence for his decision not to initiate a probe into the “military entry” of Parliament that occurred on 7 January 2021.
Speaking candidly about the event, Bagbin expressed concern about a potential conflict of interest and compromised impartiality in handling the matter.
The invasion took place during a tense session in Parliament after the 2020 general election. Armed military personnel entered the parliamentary chamber in an unprecedented move, ostensibly to restore order amid escalating tensions between Members of Parliament.
The scenes, widely criticised by various political factions and civil society organisations, raised grave questions about the military’s involvement in parliamentary proceedings and the potential implications for Ghana’s democratic governance.
Under pressure
Reflecting on the incident, Speaker Bagbin questioned why the responsibility should fall on Parliament, particularly given his own central role in the confrontation.
“I felt that there would be some conflict of interest if I am the one seen championing the investigations of that matter, and that was my position,” Bagbin explained.
He elaborated that his deputies shared similar reservations. “If we are the people to preside over this, do you think that we are going to be that impartial in handling the matter? I had my doubts.
“There was pressure on me to cause investigations, and I said, ‘Well, if this has flouted any law, what prevented Ghanaians from taking the matter up to the investigative bodies to investigate and prosecut[ing] the people who were involved? Why should it be Parliament, and why should it be the Speaker who was the centre of the conflict presiding over it for the investigations?’”
Speaker Bagbin made the comments as he undertook a three-day official tour of the Ashanti Region, during which he marked the 30th anniversary of the Fourth Republican constitution.
At a forum held at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), he advised Ghanaians to uphold the country’s democratic values ahead of the 2024 polls.
Reporting by Jonathan Ofori, Asaase Newsroom, Kumasi
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