The Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, has demanded that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, be referred to the Privileges Committee.

According to him, Mr Gyamfi’s comments about the approval of some Ministers of the Akufo-Addo’s, administration must be addressed.

Sammy Gyamfi’s alleged attack follows a Facebook post where he described the handling of certain minister-nominees as a betrayal.

Second Deputy Majority Whip, Habib Iddrisu, in accordance with Order 27, moved for the motion that the NDC Communications Officer be investigated.

“Mr Speaker, I hereby draw the attention of the House to comments made by Sammy Gyamfi, the Communications Officer of the NDC. Mr Speaker, this is an attack on the Speakership and the leadership of this House. Under Order 27, I want to move that this should be referred to the Committee of Privileges, as precedence in this House has already shown and latest was yesterday”.

Order 73 (A) breached?

Counteracting the call for investigation, Ahmed Ibrahim, the MP for Banda, noted that the Speaker was not notified of such a matter before it was laid before the House, thereby breaching Order 73 (A) of the Standing Orders.

“I was with him in the Speaker’s lobby together with leadership. In my presence with him in your lobby this morning, I didn’t hear him seeking your prior approval on such an issue.”

Per Order 73 (A), “a member may, at the time appointed for contempt of Parliament, under the provision of order 53 (that is the order of business) make by the House, any complaint of contempt of Parliament, provided he has previously notified Mr Speaker on that”.

That notwithstanding, Deputy Majority Whip, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, justified the request to have Mr Gyamfi investigated. He explained that “what is good for the goose, is good for the gander.”

“Let us be fair as a House. This application must not receive opposition because Sammy Gyamfi is your member, you don’t want his matter to be considered. It is quite unfair. I humbly pray you Mr Speaker to make your referral to the Committee”.

Additionally, he insisted that Mr Gyamfi’s referral to the Privileges Committee does not imply he is guilty of the accusations against him.

Due to this, the Second Deputy Speaker deferred the House’s decision on the matter to Friday, July 16.

Sammy Gyamfi’s post

In a Facebook post made by Mr. Gyamfi, it described the handling of certain minister-nominees as a betrayal.

The NDC had opposed three of the approvals; Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, minister-designate for Information: Hawa Koomson, minister-designate for Fisheries and Aquaculture and Owusu Afriyie Akoto, minister-designate for Food and Agriculture.

His statement called out Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak and Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin.

“Comrades, the betrayal we have suffered in the hands of the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, the leadership of our Parliamentary group, particularly Hon. Haruna Iddrissu and Hon. Muntaka Mubarak, and dozens of our own MPs, is what strengthens me to work hard for the great NDC to regain power”.

According to him, “they brazenly defied the leadership of the party and betrayed the collective good for their selfish interest”.

“We, must not let them succeed in their parochial quest to destroy the NDC, the party that has done so much for them and all of us. The shame they have brought on the party will forever hang like an albatross, around their necks”.