Lawyer Martin Kpebu has extolled the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, for releasing two Members of Parliament to the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) to aid investigations.
He says there should be room for MPs to be held accountable for their private actions, to prevent the perception that they are above the law and belong to a different class of people.
The lawyer believes the Speaker’s actions are a boost for Ghana’s democratic governance, considering the historical challenges in holding legislators accountable.
To him, this development signifies a positive shift in the country’s democratic journey, promoting transparency and accountability among public officials.
“It’s a further affirmation of the fact that we are making giant strides in our constitutional governance. Those years, it was almost impossible to serve a Member of Parliament,” he said on Ghana Tonight on TV3 Thursday, April 03, 2025.
He added that the development will help keep the lawmakers in check regarding their private actions when they know they do not enjoy absolute immunity.
Mr. Kpebu asserted further that the previous practice, which made it virtually impossible to hold MPs accountable for their actions, effectively created a situation where they seemed to be a distinct class of citizens, undermining the principle of equality before the law.
“Whilst Members of Parliament are attending to Parliamentary business, if there is the opportunity, they can also be held accountable for their private actions that have no bearing on parliamentary work. So it’s absolutely good for us. That way it keeps them in check because when you don’t make the Member of Parliament etc amenable to our court jurisdictions etc, then it’s like we are creating two classes of society (sic – citizens) which is not good,” he explained.
The lawyer was speaking on the back of Speaker Bagbin’s agreement to the NIB’s request to release two legislators, Mustapha Yussif and Kwame Asare Obeng, also known as A Plus, for investigations.
The MPs have been directed to appear before NIB officials for a preliminary interaction on Monday, April 7, 2025, at 10:00am at the Sir Emmanuel Charles Quist Conference Room in Parliament.
This was contained in a letter addressed to the Director-General of the National Intelligence Bureau, dated April Wednesday, April 02, 2025.
“Please refer to your letter dated the 25th of March 2025 in respect of a request for the release of Mustapha Yussif, MP for Yagaba Kubori Constituency, and Kwame Asare Obeng (A Plus), MP for Gomoa Central Constituency.
“I am directed by the Rt Hon Speaker, to inform you that having regard to the limitations of Articles 117 and 118 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic, the existing protocols established with the security and intelligence agencies, and also the public interest, Parliament, in principle, agrees to the request in the above matter,” portions of the letter read.
The letter signed by the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, added that, “Accordingly, the Rt. Hon. Speaker has directed the Honourable Members to make themselves available for the preliminary interaction with your officials in Parliament, on Monday, 7th April 2025 at 10.00am at the Sir. Emmanuel Charles Quist Conference Room, Office of the Speaker.”
