James Kwabena Bomfeh 'Slaps' Speaker Alban Bagbin On Brawl In Parliament

James Kwabena Bomfeh has laid blame on the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin for the misconduct by some Members of Parliament on Monday night.

On Monday, the members traded blows in the House as they were getting ready to vote on the electronic levy (e-levy) transaction bill.

Due to the incident, voting on the e-levy has been adjourned to 18th January next year.

The throwing of punches by the MPs followed attempt by the First Deputy Speaker, Hon Joe Osei-Owusu to hand over his seat to the Second Deputy Speaker in order to exercise his right as an MP during voting on the e-levy.

The Minority refused to let him hand over leading to the fight between members of the two caucuses.

Hon Joe Osei-Owusu was the sit-in Speaker at that time because, the Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin was nowhere to be found in the House, after resumption of proceedings in the evening.

Making his submisisons on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, James Kwabena Bomfeh, popularly called Kabila, alluded to some actions by Hon. Bagbin, which to him, is what has fueled this Parliamentary brawl.

He sent the minds of Ghanaians back to when the Speaker presided over the Minority's rejection of the 2022 budget on Friday, November 26 which occurred in the absence of the Majority because the latter had staged a walkout following a misunderstanding in the House.

To him, the Speaker presided over an illegality and that act has led the House to this stage where debate on the e-levy escalates into fisticuffs.

"The Speaker of Parliament, again why I'm calling him out, presided over an impunity, an illegality in the House," he stated emphatically.

To Kabila, the Speaker and the MPs should all bow their heads in shame.

"Leadership is a burden of responsibilities not privileges of rights. That we have MPs, we have immunity and privileges. How responsible have you been?...For you to come and tell us that we should give you immunities and privileges; you should be bowing your heads in shame," he said.