BY VALENTIA TETTEH
Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has defended the work of law enforcement agencies, cautioning against attempts to use Parliament or other public platforms to intimidate or undermine investigations into alleged criminal conduct.
Mr. Ayariga made the remarks during his opening statement on the floor of Parliament on Monday, August 24, 2026, in response to comments by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, during the House’s emergency sitting.
The Majority Leader stressed that freedom of speech remains a fundamental right, both within Parliament and outside the Chamber, but argued that such freedom should not be used to obstruct law enforcement agencies in the discharge of their duties.
“I believe that this is a country where there is full assurance of freedom of speech, both in the chamber and outside the chamber, and I don’t believe that there is any political targeting of anybody freely expressing themselves, either in this chamber or outside this chamber,” Mr. Ayariga said.
He, however, cautioned Members of Parliament against using the privileges of the Chamber to intimidate law enforcement agencies when they are investigating suspected criminal conduct.
“At the same time, I also don’t believe that anybody should try to use this chamber or any platform to intimidate the law enforcement agencies when they are cracking down on criminal conduct, be the conduct of politicians, of ordinary armed robbers, of any other citizen. Crime is crime,” he stated.
According to the Majority Leader, Parliament passes laws for enforcement outside the House, and Members must therefore allow law enforcement institutions to apply those laws without undue political interference.
“We believe that we pass laws in this House so that they will be enforced outside there. When the law enforcement agencies are enforcing those laws, we should not come and stand in this Chamber, embarrass them, and try to intimidate them, and try to give their conduct political coloration. It does not help,” he said.
Mr. Ayariga further argued that politicians should not consider themselves to be above the law or entitled to special treatment when accused of criminal conduct.
“We should not consider ourselves as politicians, as being in a special class that can commit crimes and get away with it,” he stressed.
Drawing a comparison between ordinary citizens and public officials, the Majority Leader questioned why politicians accused of stealing large sums of money should expect different treatment from citizens convicted of lesser offences.
“When those who steal goats and fowls and guinea fowls are sent to jail because they stole goats and fowls and guinea fowls, when those who steal rams to perform the outdooring of their children are sent to jail, we, when we steal millions of Ghana cedis as politicians, we think that we belong to a special class,” he said.
He maintained that the same principles of accountability should apply to everyone, regardless of political status or position.
“And when law enforcement agencies come after us, we will protest. I believe that this country cannot progress with an attitude like that,” Mr. Ayariga added.
He consequently urged Members to refrain from making statements or taking actions that could undermine the credibility and independence of law enforcement institutions.
“I don’t believe that it is fair when the law enforcement agencies are doing their work for us to come to this Chamber and try to bastardize those law enforcement agencies,” he said.
Mr. Ayariga maintained that while Parliament remains a platform for robust debate and the exercise of freedom of speech, Members must also uphold the rule of law and allow law enforcement agencies to perform their constitutional and statutory responsibilities.
The case is now before the courts, where the parties will have the opportunity to present their respective positions and evidence.
