The Majority Caucus in Parliament finds it paradoxical that the Minority is raising concerns about the withdrawal of the military from the security detail of the Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.
In response to a statement issued by the Minority on Monday, January 17, the Majority said events of Thursday, January 7, 2021, when military officers honoured an invitation to the chamber of Parliament, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) members (MPs) raised alarm and called for the immediate retreat of the officers.
But, the Majority insisted, the opposition MPs are against the withdrawal of the military from the security of the Speaker, whom they are also accusing of engaging military officers to serve in Parliament.
“Whereas they had condemned the military, less than two weeks to the January 7, 2021 incident, the Speaker instructed the Clerk to write to procure the services of the military for him,” the Majority said in its statement of response.
“The paradox is worth noting. Truth is sacrosanct.
“Rt. Hon. Bagbin is the only Speaker who has invited serving military officers to serve in Parliament. Parliament now has a serving Colonel as the Marshal of Parliament.
“This has never happened in Parliament since 1957.”
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs said no Speaker in Ghana’s history has even had enjoyed half of the personnel that provide security for the Right Honourable Speaker.
“It must be emphasised for the record that Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has been served with the largest number of security personnel for his protection that none of the previous Speakers had.”
They disclosed that the former Nadowli Kaleo MP has even been offered the presidential jet and, sometimes, other flights when he wants to make a travel within or outside the country.
“It does appear that the Rt. Hon. Bagbin is unappreciative of these gestures from the state.”
For the NPP MPs, the people of Ghana will be better judges to make a distinction between “truth” and “sheer propaganda” over the decision by the Ghana Armed Forces to regularise its security detail for the Speaker.
