Alban S.K. Bagbin
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban S.K. Bagbin, has condemned the recent attack on officers of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) in the Ahafo Region, stressing that Parliament will not shield any Member of Parliament (MP) accused of wrongdoing.
The incident, which allegedly involved the Member of Parliament for Asutifi North, Ebenezer Kwaku Addo, and purportedly implicated senior MP Collins Dauda, is currently under investigation by the police.
The officers were reportedly assaulted while carrying out a security operation against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Addressing the House in a formal communication, Speaker Bagbin stressed the seriousness of the matter and called for collective condemnation of the attack.
“Nobody has denied the attack, and we must all condemn that attack. The people of Ghana look to this House as a beacon of hope. It is our collective duty to set a standard that reflects the values of our great nation,” he declared.
He described illegal mining as a national menace that requires firm and cooperative action, warning that any assault on security officers assigned to that task was unacceptable.
“I condemn in no uncertain terms the attack on a team of security officers who are being assigned to help deal with the menace of galamsey, which has to be dealt with robustly,” he said.
The Speaker confirmed that MP Addo had voluntarily submitted himself to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to assist in the inquiry, adding that several MPs have faced similar investigations in the past without interference from his office.
“My office has never shielded any Member of Parliament… please let it not be said anywhere that Members of Parliament are being shielded from the rule of law; not at all,” he asserted.
However, Mr. Bagbin urged the police to respect parliamentary privileges during the investigation, particularly when the House is in session, while clarifying that such privileges are not a barrier to prosecution.
“These privileges are not absolute. They must be exercised responsibly and in accordance with the laws of the land,” he said.
He directed the Office of the Clerk and Parliament’s Legal Services Department to provide full support to law enforcement agencies “within the framework of the 1992 Constitution and the Standing Orders of the House.”
Assuring national security agencies and the public of Parliament’s cooperation, the Speaker reaffirmed his commitment to accountability.
“I assure all Ghanaians, in particular the security agencies, of the full cooperation of Parliament in this investigation and all other pending investigations involving Members of Parliament,” he stressed.
Leaders Call
The leadership also rallied behind Speaker Bagbin’s declaration that no MP will be shielded from accountability.
The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, used the moment to launch a stern call for unity against illegal mining, warning that partisan politics has crippled Ghana’s fight against the menace.
“We as political leaders have failed,” he admitted, recalling how successive governments and actors, across political divides, allowed political convenience to override national interest.
He revealed that as far back as 2015, Finance Ministry warnings about galamsey’s impact on cocoa went unheeded, and despite bold anti-galamsey pledges, the nation continued to prioritise electoral calculations over environmental survival.
“Can we as political leaders, for once, agree to stay the partisan approach and deal with galamsey as a Ghana matter?” he appealed.
“Civil society is talking, organised labour is talking, religious leaders are talking, but they know that in us lies the vested authority,” he stated.
He argued that galamsey is contributing to rising deaths and environmental degradation, and called for a non-partisan parliamentary dialogue to send a “strong message” that “enough is enough”.
Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, echoed the Speaker’s message, emphasising that lawmakers will not resist due process.
“We do not consider ourselves above the law. We pass the laws, we fund law-enforcement agencies, and we hold them accountable,” he stated.
Mr. Ayariga confirmed that he personally facilitated the MP’s appearance before investigators, and expressed confidence in the legal process.
He also explained that both Addo and Dauda maintain their innocence, insisting neither directed residents to resist security officers.
The Majority Leader stressed that parliamentary privileges do not equate to immunity, but exist, like those of law-enforcement officers and judges, to protect democratic institutions, not obstruct justice.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House