Sammy Gyamfi to be dragged to Privileges Committee for insulting Haruna, Bagbin

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Tolon, Habib Idrisu, has filed a motion seeking to haul Sammy Gyamfi, the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC’s) National Communications Director; before the Privileges Committee of the lawmaking chamber.

The move is in conection with comments made by Mr Gyamfi in March 2021 calling out the Minority Leader and Speaker of Parliament for their roles in approving some ministerial nominees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The Tolon MP in filing his motion cited order 38 of the chamber’s standing orders and said: “the following act or conduct shall constitute a breach of privilege or contempt of Parliament.”

He said the attack specifically on the Speaker was by extension an attack on the entire house which he leads.

Sammy Gyamfi in a Facebook post claimed that Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu and Speaker Alban Bagbin had defied the party’s official position to oppose the approval of three nominees but that they had opted otherwise for personal interest.

“They brazenly defied the leadership of the party and betrayed the collective good for their selfish interest,” his post read in part.

The nominees in question were: Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Hawa Koomson and Owusu Afriyie Akoto; ministers-designate for Information; Fisheries and Aquaculture and Food and Agriculture r
This is the second time that an NPP lawmaker has pushed for Gyamfi to be summoned before the Privileges Committe.

Months back, Tafo Pankorono MP, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, also pushed unsuccessfully for a similar action to be taken.

The Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, who was presiding over the sitting subsequently deferred action on the motion.