The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has dismissed claims that the executive branch of government controls his actions or influences Parliament’s work.
Responding to comments made by Asante-Akim Central MP, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, during Thursday’s parliamentary debate on the Appointments Committee’s report on Chief Justice nominee Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, Mr. Bagbin stated emphatically that no executive authority can dictate his conduct or decisions.
“The statement you just made is a very serious statement. As I sit here, there’s no executive that can control me,” the Speaker asserted on Thursday, November 13.
Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi had earlier claimed that the executive was exerting undue influence over both the legislature and the judiciary, adding that such interference was among the reasons the Minority walked out during the vetting of Chief Justice nominee Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie.
He also argued that ongoing court cases challenging the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo made it inappropriate for Parliament to proceed with the vetting, insisting the executive was attempting to “control Parliament and Ghana.”
Mr. Bagbin’s firm response reaffirmed the independence of Parliament, emphasizing that the institution operates within the bounds of the Constitution and remains free from executive manipulation
