Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has confirmed that three Minority Members of Parliament have been identified in connection with a derogatory remark made against Klottey-Korle MP Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, who was called the “daughter of a murderer” during a recent heated exchange in the House.
Speaking at the opening of the Second Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic on May 27, 2025, Speaker Bagbin condemned the comment as unacceptable. He issued a stern warning that such conduct would not be tolerated under the guise of parliamentary immunity, emphasizing that parliamentary privilege is “not a license for impunity.”
Bagbin addressed what he described as a troubling trend of lawmakers misusing parliamentary privilege to evade accountability. “While politically motivated attacks on Parliament or its members will not be tolerated, let me be clear, this House will not be used as a shield for those who deliberately flout the law,” he stated.
Though the Speaker did not publicly name the three identified MPs, he assured members that investigations are ongoing, and appropriate disciplinary action would follow.
The offensive comment, believed to be aimed at Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings, the daughter of Ghana’s late former President Jerry John Rawlings, sparked widespread condemnation from the public and civil society groups. These groups have since called for swift action and higher standards of decorum within Parliament.
Bagbin underscored that while parliamentary privilege is critical for protecting the independence of legislators, it must not be abused. He stressed, “We must uphold the sanctity of this House not by shielding misconduct, but by demanding the highest standards of behavior from ourselves.”
Background
On February 4, 2025, a parliamentary discussion in Ghana marking the 60th anniversary of Joseph Boakye Danquah’s death descended into personal insults and political posturing.
The session grew heated when Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, MP for Tamale Central, challenged what he considered undue praise for JB Danquah from the Minority caucus. The presiding Speaker, Andrew Asiamah, attempted to quell the rising tension by limiting contributions to only parliamentary leadership. However, this decision appeared to exacerbate the situation rather than calm it.
Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, MP for Korle-Klottey, was reportedly ignored by the Speaker when she sought to speak, with the floor instead granted to Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin. This led to further interruptions from other MPs.
A voice from the Minority side was heard on video referring to Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings as the “daughter of a murderer” and telling her to sit down. This was followed by another unidentified MP, also believed to be from the Minority, claiming there was “evidence that her father killed people.” These comments, aimed at the daughter of former President Jerry John Rawlings, underscored the deep divisions within Parliament and a clear failure in leadership to prevent personal attacks.
Following the incident, Samuel Abu Jinapor, MP for Damongo, vehemently denied social media allegations that he made the derogatory comments. In a social media post on February 5, he urged the public to disregard the claims, emphasizing his utmost respect for the late former President Jerry John Rawlings and his family.
“For the record, the said allegation is absolutely false,” Abu Jinapor wrote, adding that President Rawlings “took a great liking to me and showed interest in me as a young politician.” He concluded by reiterating his commitment to fostering decent and intellectual debate in Ghanaian public life, free from insults and character assassination.
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