The First Minority Whip in Parliament, Habib Iddrisu, has raised concerns about the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin's authority to suspend Members of Parliament (MPs).

Speaking on JoyNews' Newsfile programme on Saturday, 1st February, Iddrisu argued that the Speaker does not possess the power to unilaterally suspend MPs, following the recent suspension of four MPs over chaos during the Appointments Committee's meeting on Thursday, 30th January.

Mr Iddrisu clarified that the Speaker's decision to suspend MPs, including three from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and one from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), was a violation of parliamentary procedures.

• Read also: Minority rejects Speaker’s suspension of 3 of its members over Appointments Committee chaos

He emphasised that the suspension was a drastic measure, which, according to him, should have followed due process, including consultation with the relevant parliamentary bodies before such an action was taken.

He went on to state that while the Minority does not condone the violence that occurred during the committee’s vetting session, the Speaker’s actions could set a dangerous precedent.

"The Speaker does not have the power to suspend MPs without following the necessary procedures. This sets a worrying precedent for how parliamentary disagreements are handled in the future," Mr Iddrisu explained.

• Read also: Speaker suspends Dafeamekpor, Annoh-Dompreh and 2 others over Appointments Committee chaos

Iddrisu's remarks come amid growing tensions in Parliament following the chaotic scenes during the vetting process, which led to accusations of unfair treatment and frustration over the Majority's approach to decision-making.

He reiterated the need for parliamentary decisions to be made transparently and through the appropriate processes to ensure fairness for all members.