Political scientist at the University of Ghana Professor Ransford Gyampo has expressed strong disapproval of the recent chaotic scenes in Ghana’s Parliament.
His reaction underscores concern about democratic maturity and responsible leadership among legislators. According to him, the events were not only unacceptable but also disappointing, considering Ghana’s democratic progress over the years.
He was shocked by the level of destruction that unfolded in the House, particularly in a country that aspires to strengthen its democratic credentials. He lamented;
“I was watching it and I kept blinking my eyes, and I wanted to believe I wasn’t seeing well. I was disappointed. If you get into a hung parliament, some of these things happen. In lesser democracies, sometimes there is an open brawl in parliament. And sometimes, even in mature democracies, you have people getting into heated altercations that sometimes degenerate into fisticuffs. But in Ghana, we have shown clearly that we want to climb higher the ladder of democratic progression.’’
Professor Ransford Gyampo, Political Scientist
Prof. Gyampo expressed regret that lessons from previous parliamentary chaos had not been learned. He cited;
“I was expecting that the lessons may have been learned when Speaker Bagbin was being elected following the 2020 elections. And that those lessons were going to be guiding how MPs were going to be relating with themselves. I was very disappointed when I saw something like that—to the extent that chairs, cables are being broken, and microphones are being destroyed.’’
Professor Ransford Gyampo, Political Scientist
In making his case for non-violent dissent, Prof. Gyampo drew a parallel with student demonstrations at the University of Ghana, where he teaches. He noted;
“One of the reasons why management is now being stern on students is that it became a certain norm that anytime a certain group of students went on demonstration, they destroyed property. Management was unhappy about that, so they’ve taken drastic steps to sensitize students.’’
Professor Ransford Gyampo, Political Scientist
He found it troubling that parliamentarians, who are expected to be more responsible, failed to uphold this principle. He emphasized;
“Even among little students, they now appreciate the fact that they have the right to dissent, but whatever they want to do to show dissent must not include the destruction of public property.’’
Professor Ransford Gyampo, Political Scientist
Questioning the Actions of MPs, Criticism of Bernard Ahiafor’s Role
Prof. Gyampo found it difficult to accept how members of Parliament, who hold the honorable title, could engage in such destructive behavior. He acknowledged;
“I know they could have simply walked out to show their dissent. But in my view, I think that in their own calculation, a simple walkout would have been inconsequential because they felt that if they walked out, the other side would still have the numbers to do whatever they wanted to do.’’
Professor Ransford Gyampo, Political Scientist
Prof. Gyampo also expressed disappointment in Bernard Ahiafor, the chair of the committee, for failing to act swiftly to restore order. He argued that the chaos could have been controlled if the necessary measures were taken.
According to him, swift action could have prevented the destruction of public property, which was carried out by individuals who are supposed to be honorable members of Parliament.
Moreover, he highlighted the IGP Akuffo Dampare’s reputation for enforcing the law, even against high-ranking officials, and urged him to apply the same standards to the MPs involved in the disturbances. He charged;
“We know who he [IGP] is. He’s a no-nonsense Inspector General of Police. We’ve seen him arrest members of Parliament and government officials for committing various traffic offenses. This is also about the destruction of public or state property, and it’s not something that he can sweep under the carpet.’’
“Whoever has done that must be brought to book and must be dealt with according to the laws of the country. No single member of Parliament is above the laws of the country.’’
Professor Ransford Gyampo, Political Scientist
Prof. Gyampo’s comments reflect a broader concern about the behavior of Ghana’s lawmakers and the need for accountability in public office.
He criticized both the actions of the MPs and the failure of parliamentary leadership to control the situation. Calling on the IGP to take action, he emphasized that no one is above the law, and those responsible must face the consequences of their actions.
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