Ghana Parliament to set up committee to deal with arrest of MPs
The issue of how MPs involved in legal cases should be arrested and made to face the law like every citizen of Ghana without impeding their work as legislators took centre stage when the House reconvened on Tuesday.
Parliament is therefore to set up an adhoc committee to determine how Members of Parliament could be protected against arbitrary arrests and without recourse to due process in the performance of their legislative functions.
This is to ensure that security agencies adopt a proper procedure in arresting MPs to protect the integrity and dignity of MPs and other officers of Parliament including the Speaker in the line with constitutional provision.
The decision to set up the committee follows submissions made by Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, Minority leader on the floor of the House.
The Minority Leader touched on the manner in which Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah, MP for Aburi –Nsawam, was trailed and arrested at his house after a parliamentary meeting from which he had temporarily absented himself.
He said such acts and arrests call for serious consideration as MPs per constitutional provisions are not to be impeded in the course of their duties as their constituents are at all times entitled to representations and decision-making by their MPs.
The Minority leader, who said the matter should be of concern to all MPs regardless of their political affiliation, therefore proposed the setting up of the committee, which was supported by the Majority leader, Cletus Avoka.
Mr Avoka, on his part, made mention of some MPs in previous administrations, who have at one time or the other been arrested.
He said such arrests should not be seen in any political colour, as MPs have been subjected to such arrests under each successive administration since independence.
Justice Joyce Bamford Addo, the Speaker, therefore tasked the Minority and Majority leaders of Parliament to set up the committee and ensure that all the deliberation on the matter is done with reference to all the constitutional provisions on arresting MPs or getting MPs to face the law.
She asked that the 10-member committee should be made up of members from all sides of the House and that the committee works quickly and report back to the House with recommendations which will be debated at plenary.
The outcome of the debate on the issue is expected to be sent to the appropriate authorities and the security agencies, with the aim of protecting the rights of the MPs and officers of parliament in accordance with articles 117 and 122, which guarantees that the work of parliament is not impeded of held in contempt, among other provisions.
By Eunice Menka