Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has firmly denied accusations made by former special prosecutor Martin Amidu, who claimed that the Speaker had a secret meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in Dubai in 2021, before the rejection of the 2022 budget.
In a statement, the Office of the Speaker demanded that Mr. Amidu retract his allegations and issue an apology. The statement also warned that if Mr. Amidu fails to comply, the Speaker will take all necessary legal actions to defend his reputation.
“The said publication is false, baseless and unfounded, and should be treated with the contempt it deserves.”
“The Rt. Hon, Speaker requests Mr. Amidu to do the honourable thing and withdraw his statements and apologise unreservedly to the Speaker of Parliament and indeed the Parliament of Ghana, with the same prominence as he made the false and malicious statements, within seven days from the date of the release of this rejoinder.
The failure of Mr Amidu to adhere to this request would leave the Rt. Hon. Speaker to no other option than to take all steps necessary within his rights to vindicate his name.”
The Office added that these unfounded allegations are part of a deliberate and calculated effort by certain individuals to damage the Speaker of Parliament’s reputation. However, it assured that these attempts would not be successful.
The statement also emphasized Mr. Bagbin’s long-standing record of distinguished and honest public service to Ghana, highlighting his unwavering commitment to prioritizing the interests of the Ghanaian people.
“The Rt Hon Speaker will not be deterred from carrying out his public service duties, guiding and providing leadership for Parliament even in the face of insinuations, unprovoked attacks and unfounded allegations like Mr. Amidu’s.”
“Mr. Martin Amidu must appreciate that the decisions taken on the floor of parliament is an extension of the voices of the citizens by the legislators who represent them distinctively,” the statement added.
The Office of the Speaker emphasized that the Speaker of Parliament, unlike the Deputy Speakers, does not vote in Parliament and, therefore, does not partake in its decision-making processes.
This is explicitly outlined in the 1992 Constitution and has been confirmed by rulings of the Supreme Court of Ghana.
“To re-state, it is false, malicious and a fabrication by Mr. Martin Amidu that the Speaker of Parliament had secretly met with the President before the rejection of the 2021 Budget. The Speaker has not met the President in Dubai or anywhere else outside the Republic of Ghana.”
