)
According to the Police, it is not within their mandate to enter Parliament House to ensure sanity when there is a brawl.
Responding to some of the criticisms of the police in the recent scuffle between MPs on the controversial e-levy, the Director-General of Public Affairs, Assistant Commissioner for Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, noted that the country’s constitution does not mandate the police to enforce order in the house of the legislature.
“By Ghana’s constitutional arrangement, security issues within the chamber of parliament are the responsibility of the Marshal to Parliament, who takes instructions from the Clerk of Parliament on such matters,” the statement said.
)
Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare
)
)
)
“The legal position is that the police has no authority to enter the chamber of parliament to undertake any law enforcement venture. Any such act will be in contravention of the laws of the country,” it added.
According to the police, it has, however, “initiated steps to engage the Clerk, Marshal, and leadership of parliament to fashion out a more proactive way of supporting parliament in this regard within the confines of the laws of the country.”
The house was thrown into chaos amidst fisticuffs during a vote on the controversial e-levy bill.
The free-for-all brawl started after the Minority tried stopping Mr Osei-Owusu, who was presiding over the business of the house, from going onto the floor to take part in the vote.