Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has directed the Committee of Selection to reconstitute the Appointments Committee following the chaos that marred the vetting session on Thursday, January 30.
In addition, he has instructed the Clerk of Parliament to formally lodge a criminal complaint with the police to enable a thorough investigation into the incident.
“It is imperative that those responsible for this unfortunate event are identified and held accountable,” Speaker Bagbin stated.
The Clerk has also been tasked with evaluating the extent of damage to properties in the Appointments Committee room.
According to the Speaker, members found responsible for any destruction “will be surcharged for the cost of repairs.”
To further probe the matter, a seven-member committee, led by Emmanuel Bedzrah, has been established to investigate the altercation and submit its findings within 10 days.
“The report will provide guidance on necessary measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future,” Bagbin noted.
Meanwhile, Majority and Minority Chief Whips, Frank Annoh-Dompreh and Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, along with Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli and Jerry Ahmed Shaib, have been suspended from parliamentary proceedings for two weeks, effective Friday, January 31.
The Speaker justified the suspension, stating that the lawmakers’ conduct during the vetting session was “a serious breach of parliamentary order and discipline.”
He reiterated that such actions would not be tolerated, emphasizing Parliament’s commitment to maintaining decorum in its proceedings.
