Alban Bagbin is the Speaker of Parliament
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has reminded Members of Parliament about the powers vested in the office of the Speaker and the need for strict adherence to parliamentary procedures and decorum.
Reacting to the chaos that erupted in the House on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, he stated, “I don’t need to talk to you about the powers of the Speaker. They are clearly stated in the law. If you read the Parliament Act 1965 and the orders of the House, they are actually colossal. And if fully applied, it could be of serious danger to the career progression of Members of Parliament.”
He pointed out the need for MPs to respect authority within the Chamber.
“Shakespeare taught all of us that even a dog is obeyed in office,” he remarked.
The Speaker further stated that those in leadership are not above reproach, and there is a constitutional process for challenging decisions.
“When we sit here, we are not saints. We are not infallible. But there’s good reason why we are called Right Honorable. And you are called only honorable,” he noted.
Bagbin emphasised that once the Speaker is presiding, his authority must be respected.
“The Speaker, however, the situation, is always right on the floor. When he’s wrong, the law has given you the opportunity as to how to come back to the same floor to prove that he was wrong, so please, I repeat, even a dog is obeyed in office,” he added.
His remarks follow chaotic scenes in Parliament on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
The House was abruptly adjourned after a heated confrontation between the Minority and the Speaker’s chair over the refusal to allow a statement on the ongoing strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA).
Tensions escalated when parliamentary marshals nearly removed the Ranking Member on the Health Committee, Dr Nana Ayew Afriye from the Chamber.
He was on his feet to demand that Parliament address the nationwide strike, which has severely impacted healthcare delivery in the country.
Watch the video below:
JKB/AE
Meanwhile, here is why Ken Ofori-Atta, associates will face global scrutiny according to a security expert