Former Lands and Natural Resources Minister and Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor has explained the circumstances that led to his removal from Parliament by Speaker Alban Bagbin during Tuesday’s sitting.
In a statement shared on social media on November 3, 2026, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Committee said his intervention was prompted by allegations that Ghanaian diplomatic passports were being sold for between US$10,000 and US$50,000.
Jinapor said he raised the matter in his capacity as Ranking Member and called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs to appear before Parliament to respond to the claims.
He explained that the Majority Leader objected to his intervention, but he insisted that allegations of such seriousness, which were already circulating publicly, required parliamentary attention.
According to the Damongo MP, the claims raised concerns about Ghana’s international reputation, the credibility of state institutions and the integrity of the country’s diplomatic passports.
He said the Speaker subsequently directed him to withdraw his statement, before ordering him to leave the chamber.
Jinapor maintained that his responsibility as a ranking member required him to bring matters of national importance before Parliament, regardless of the political implications.
“I called for the Minister for Foreign Affairs to appear before Parliament and account for these allegations.
“The Majority Leader objected to my intervention. However, I maintained that allegations of such gravity, already circulating in the public domain, cannot simply be ignored. They have serious implications for Ghana’s international reputation, the integrity of our diplomatic passports and the credibility of our institutions,” he stated.
He added that although he held the Office of the Speaker and Bagbin personally in high regard, that respect did not prevent him from demanding answers on issues he considered important to the country.
“I have enormous respect for the Office of the Speaker and for Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin personally. That respect, however, does not diminish my constitutional and parliamentary responsibility to raise matters of grave national concern and demand accountability,” he said.
The NPP legislator also thanked members of the Minority who, according to him, showed solidarity by walking out of the chamber after the Speaker directed that he be escorted out.
Jinapor insisted that respect for parliamentary authority should not prevent lawmakers from performing their oversight responsibilities.
“Let me be clear: Respect for parliamentary authority and the pursuit of accountability are not mutually exclusive. I remain a disciplined, patriotic and respectful Member of Parliament, but equally a proud and committed member of the Mighty Minority, determined to hold the Government accountable, particularly in matters concerning our foreign affairs.
“Accountability is non-negotiable! God bless our homeland Ghana,” he added.
The incident has drawn attention to the allegations surrounding the purported sale of Ghanaian diplomatic passports and the parliamentary process through which the Foreign Affairs Minister may be called upon to respond.
The claims about the alleged sale of the passports remain allegations and would require investigation and an official response from the relevant authorities.
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