Parliament to drag police, military to privileges committee for contempt – Haruna Iddrisu

Tamale Central lawmaker, Haruna Iddrisu has revealed that the military and Police who stormed the chamber of Parliament on January 7 during the election of a speaker for the 8th Parliament, will have to answer for their action.

He said they will need to explain to the House why they should not be charged with contempt of parliament following their invasion.

Military men stormed the chamber following a stalemate between MPs-elect for the NDC and NPP sides while they were electing a new Speaker of the House.

Mr. Iddrisu told Journalists in parliament on Wednesday, January 13 that “We are law-abiding citizens, we proceeded on a precession in accordance with Article 21 of the constitution. What I also do know is that ACP Ofori, I also saw him in the Chamber on the night of 7th January.

“He probably will have to come and explain to parliament what he and his men were doing in the chamber and on the floor of parliament at that material moment because that is also in contempt of parliament.

“He has to demonstrate that he was invited into the chamber by the Marshal of Parliament and as I indicated to you earlier, we are law-abiding citizens, we embarked on a lawful procession and he has to explain the circumstances in which he got into the chamber of parliament.

“The armed military officers will have to explain how they got to the Chamber of Parliament and why they should also not be hauled before Privileges and committee for contempt of parliament.”

Some Ghanaians including former President John Dramani Mahama condemned the intervention of the military and called for a thorough investigation into the matter.

“The recent use of the military in civil democratic processes has become a major worry and gives the impression that this administration is continually seeking to resurrect the exorcised ghosts of our military past. Parliament must conduct an investigation into the two incidents and exact appropriate sanctions,” the President Candidate of the NDC in the last elections said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, the founding Director of the University of Ghana Centre for Asian Studies Dr. Lloyd Amoah has said the presence of the military in the chamber of Parliament during the election of a Speaker for the 8th Parliament did not pose any danger.

Dr. Lloyd Amoah in a Facebook post said “The mere use of soldiers on the floor of parliament does not by itself pose an existential danger. The army is part of the civil order. Pay attention.”