Why 'angry' Kennedy Agyapong dragged in judges in his ‘the society belittles us' comment in parliament

The Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, angrily demanded rights and privileges for his colleagues on the floor of Parliament.

Speaking at an emergency sitting of Parliament on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, Ken Agyapong expressed his dissatisfaction while commenting on some amendments to the Roads Regulations Act LI 2180, which the Ministry of Transport was attempting to lay before Parliament for approval.

The Assin Central legislator, like many of his colleagues, was unhappy about the fact that the Speaker of Parliament and MPs were excluded from the list of Ghanaians who are allowed to use sirens and a motorcade.

He challenged his fellow legislators to speak out for the benefit of the house and demand laws that would favour them in the chamber and in their personal lives.

Kennedy added that members of Parliament are belittled by society, but the MPs are afraid to speak out because of the fear of public criticism, which he thinks is not right.

“I want to caution my colleagues to be bold for once because we’ve been cowards to the public. When it comes to anything concerning Parliament, we are afraid of the reaction of the public, but anything that the government needs, they will first come to Parliament. For a whole Speaker, you say that he cannot even enjoy a motorcade. Who is Kennedy Agyapong? Who went to the Senate and enjoyed a motorcade under President Kufuor’s administration? We must be bold and speak the truth,” he said.

“Every money this country needs, it has to go through Parliament, but society belittles us as if we are servants to them. Although we are servants to them, we also have to enjoy rights. I want you guys to be bold. Members have to be bold.

“In case there is an emergency and you need Members of Parliament from, say, Adenta to come here. If he enjoys a motorcade, is it a sin? Mr. Speaker, I am speaking for Parliament, that it is a very important institution and therefore we should not be afraid to demand opportunities for ourselves.

“If they are doing this to the Speaker, then who are you? A member of Parliament sitting here, and we are the same people who are going to approve this (the amended act). Are you saying that ministers are also not important?” he quizzed.

He then drew attention to High Court judges, asserting that parliamentarians are always equated to judges, yet the privileges they enjoy do not come close to those of MPs.

He added that judges have police protection, but MPs do not have.

“I have no problem with judges, but they have police, and you tell us that parliamentarians are equivalent to High Court judges. You go to their house, you see their cars, they have police. How many of us have police in our cars, and you are waving your hands? You are afraid. Be bold and speak the truth,” he said.

He added that if the Speaker and MPs are not included in the bill, it would not be approved, saying, "We also demand that we should be included; if not, rescind it."

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