Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor was escorted out of Parliament by a Parliamentary Marshal on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, after he refused Speaker Alban Bagbin’s order to withdraw an allegation that diplomatic passports were being sold to ineligible people for GH¢50,000 or $10,000.
The clash happened on the first sitting day of the Third Meeting of the Second Session of Parliament. Abu Jinapor, who is the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, linked the claim to Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
Minority MPs followed him out of the Chamber in solidarity. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin later described the Speaker’s decision as “harsh, high-handed and unfair.”
The incident came on the same day NPP supporters marched in Accra under the “Yɛgye Yɛn Sika” banner, demanding answers over the GH¢49.72 million spent on evacuating Ghanaians from South Africa.
What Abu Jinapor said about diplomatic passports
Speaking on the floor, Abu Jinapor alleged that diplomatic passports were being sold to people who did not qualify for them, at GH¢50,000 or $10,000 each, according to Adom News.
MyJoyOnline reported that he accused the Foreign Affairs Minister of involvement in the sale. Neither report carried his exact words.
Majority Leader objects, Speaker orders withdrawal
Majority Leader James Agalga objected immediately, saying the claim was not supported by facts.
Speaker Bagbin then asked Abu Jinapor to withdraw the allegation. According to Adom News, the Speaker said the MP could raise the matter again once he had evidence to back it.
When Abu Jinapor refused, the Speaker directed the Marshal of Parliament to remove him. The Damongo MP packed his books and left the Chamber, and his Minority colleagues walked out with him.
Minority Leader calls removal “harsh, high-handed and unfair”
Briefing the press afterwards, Afenyo-Markin said the Minority stands behind Abu Jinapor and cannot disown his comments.
He said the caucus understood that Abu Jinapor had withdrawn his statement and questioned why the removal order still went ahead. He also argued that, instead of demanding a withdrawal, the Majority Leader should have pushed for a committee investigation into the claim.
Diplomatic passport row: the key claims so far
- Allegation in Parliament: diplomatic passports sold to ineligible people for GH¢50,000 or $10,000
- Earlier NPP claim: six service passport holders had positions that were inaccurately described or did not exist
- NPP request: the US Embassy in Ghana to suspend recognition of the affected passports pending verification
- Evacuation spending questioned: GH¢49.72 million to evacuate 1,964 Ghanaians from South Africa
- NPP demand: Ablakwa’s resignation or dismissal and an independent investigation
Ablakwa under pressure over evacuation spending
The passport claim adds to mounting Minority pressure on Ablakwa. The NPP has questioned the GH¢49.72 million spent on the South Africa evacuation, citing alleged payment discrepancies, duplicate entries and missing documentation. GhanaTrends earlier covered the NPP’s “Yɛgye Yɛ Sika” march to Jubilee House over the evacuation money.
Ablakwa has rejected allegations of financial wrongdoing over the evacuation and has said the spending should be subject to an independent audit. His response to the diplomatic passport claim made in Parliament on Tuesday had not been reported at the time of writing.
What the Jinapor removal means for Parliament
The walkout signals a tense start to the new meeting, which is expected to handle the 2027 Budget and the anti-LGBTQ+ bill. Bagbin had earlier urged MPs to put national interest ahead of partisan politics.
For the Minority, the removal of a senior frontbencher on day one could harden its stance on the Foreign Affairs Minister. For the Majority, the ruling sends a message that allegations against ministers on the floor must be backed with evidence.
What happens next
It is not yet clear whether Abu Jinapor faces any further sanction beyond his removal for the day. The Speaker indicated the matter can return to the floor if evidence is presented.
The Minority is expected to keep pressing its demands over the evacuation spending and passport issuance. Proceedings can be followed on the Parliament of Ghana website.
Quick Summary: Abu Jinapor Escorted Out of Parliament Over Claim Diplomatic Passports Sold for GH¢50,000; Minority Walks Out
- Who: Samuel Abu Jinapor, MP for Damongo and Ranking Member, Foreign Affairs Committee
- When: Tuesday, November 3, 2026, first sitting of Parliament’s Third Meeting
- Claim: diplomatic passports sold to ineligible people for GH¢50,000 or $10,000
- Ruling: Speaker Alban Bagbin ordered a withdrawal; Jinapor refused and was escorted out by a Marshal
- Reaction: Minority walked out; Afenyo-Markin called the decision “harsh, high-handed and unfair”
- Majority position: James Agalga said the claim was not supported by facts
FAQs – Abu Jinapor Escorted Out of Parliament Over Claim Diplomatic Passports Sold for GH¢50,000; Minority Walks Out
Why was Abu Jinapor removed from Parliament?
Speaker Alban Bagbin ordered his removal after he refused to withdraw an allegation that diplomatic passports were being sold to ineligible people, a claim the Majority Leader said lacked facts.
What did Abu Jinapor say about Ablakwa and diplomatic passports?
He alleged that diplomatic passports were being sold for GH¢50,000 or $10,000 and linked the claim to Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
Did the Minority walk out of Parliament on November 3, 2026?
Yes. Minority MPs followed Abu Jinapor out of the Chamber in solidarity, and Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin criticised the Speaker’s decision.
Parliament’s new meeting opened with a dramatic clash as Damongo MP Samuel Abu Jinapor was escorted out for refusing to withdraw a claim that diplomatic passports were being sold for GH¢50,000 or $10,000, prompting a Minority walkout and sharpening the row over Foreign Affairs Minister Okudzeto Ablakwa.
