Speaker Alban Bagbin
Barely a month after the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, returned from Dubai where he had gone to receive medical attention, he has reportedly returned to the United Arab Emirates for a scheduled medical follow-up.
The Speaker’s correspondence indicating his itinerary sent to the executive arm of government only indicated that Mr. Bagbin will be in the United Arab Emirates from Friday, January 7, 2022 till January 23, 2022.
The latest medical trip to Dubai believed to be Mr. Bagbin’s second since he was sworn into office as Speaker early last year, had reignited heated debate over whether the country’s hospitals could not cater for the medical needs of the Speaker.
“I am writing to inform you of my absence from Ghana from Friday, January 7, 2022 till Sunday, January 23, 2022 in order to honour an appointment for a medical review in the United Arab Emirates,” part of the correspondence to the seat of government, stated.
It continued that “the House will resume its Sittings for the First Meeting of the Second Session of the Eighth Parliament on Tuesday, January 25, 2022.”
The letter said, “Prior to the resumption of the House, Parliament intends to undertake a COVID-19 (booster) vaccination exercise for Hon Members of Parliament and Officers of the Parliamentary Service, as part of measures to contain the infection and spread of the Coronavirus Disease within the parliamentary precincts, particularly in the wake of the spike in infections as well as the new wave of the Omicron variant of the disease.”
Earlier Trip
When the news broke about Mr. Bagbin’s trip to Dubai in late November last year, NDC elements propagated on various social media platforms that the NPP in Parliament leaked the travel details and medical information of Speaker Bagbin in an attempt to court public disaffection for him, for supervising the unconstitutional decision taken by NDC MPs to reject the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government.
On November 26, 2021, Mr. Bagbin caused constitutional ‘chaos’ after he backed the NDC MPs to claim they had rejected the 2022 budget that had been presented by the Finance Minister earlier on November 17.
Mr. Bagbin, a card bearing member of the NDC then flew to Dubai for a medical review.
The following week, the NPP Majority quashed the ‘unconstitutional’ action of the Speaker and went ahead to approve the same 2022 budget.
Speaker’s Trip
The Speaker was accompanied by his wife, Alice Adjua Yornas; Dr. Prince Kofi Pambo, Head of Parliamentary Clinic; Patience Bagbin, Speaker’s Secretary and Speaker’s Aide, Justice Norvor.
However, it is unclear if the same entourage accompanied the Speaker this time around.
Speaker’s Response
In the ensuing heat, the Speaker caused his office to issue a statement, stating that he only travelled with four officials to Dubai, United Arab Emirates for his routine medical check-up.
According to the statement, the four officials excluded his Aide De Camp, Protocol Officer, Butler and other relevant staff.
The statement was issued and signed by his Counsel, Magnus Kofi Amoatey, who was once NDC MP for Yilo Krobo in the Eastern Region.
The Speaker had insisted that he is entitled to state-sponsored medical review, noting that it is part of his service condition.
“Speakers of Ghana’s Parliament are entitled to such routine medical check-ups, just like officials of the Executive and Judiciary arms of government,” the statement stressed.
“The attention of the Office of the Speaker Rt. Hon. Alban S. K. Bagbin has been drawn to the circulation of a communication between Parliament’s Parliamentary Relations and Protocol Office and the Consulate General of Ghana in Dubai. The said document is in regard to the Rt. Hon. Speaker’s trip to Dubai for a routine medical check-up.
“Let it be placed on record that the Speaker is accompanied by four officials, to the exclusion of his Aide De Camp, Protocol Officer, Butler and other relevant staff. The Speaker’s office will again like to state that, as part of their conditions of service, Speakers of Ghana’s Parliament are entitled to such routine medical check-ups, just like the officials of the Executive and Judiciary arms of government.”
It said “it is trite knowledge that most staff of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies also have similar facilities at their disposal and continue to take advantage of such arrangements to their benefit.”
“Indeed, the records of the Parliamentary Service are replete with evidence which point to the fact that all Speakers of the Fourth Republican Parliaments have at one time or another accessed this facility,” he continued.
He noted that it is not only the Speaker of Parliament and his deputies that are entitled to such a facility, but that the entire leadership of the House are also entitled to the same facility and continually resort to it when the need arises.
“The Speaker is mindful of the fact that in the course of their duties, Members of the House may disagree on issues on the floor, but these are all based on procedures, which govern the work of the House and which are strictly adhered to without fear or favour,” the statement stressed.
“The office will advise that the health issues of the Speaker and that of other office bearers are not politicised as anybody could be taken ill at any time. It is an undeniable fact that the Membership of the House is one whole group, with a common agenda and destiny,” the statement concluded.
By Ernest Kofi Adu