Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Ernest Norgbey, has openly defended his actions during a parliamentary session on December 1, 2021, where he was seen removing the Speaker’s chair amid a heated dispute over the 2022 Budget statement.
Norgbey asserts that his actions were deliberate and in line with his party’s directives, emphasizing that he has no regrets.
In an interview, Norgbey stated, “I thought through them before I acted upon them.
And most of these things were staged, which means that I was doing the bidding of the party and that is what I did.”
He further explained that his intention was to “preserve” the Speaker’s seat for Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, especially after the First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu, temporarily vacated it.
Norgbey questioned the Deputy Speaker’s impartiality, noting, “If a Speaker who claimed to be a Speaker…rules that he is not the Speaker, then the Speaker would have to come and sit on his seat and take decision on that.”
The incident occurred during a tumultuous session where the First Deputy Speaker overruled a motion by the Minority Caucus to overturn the approval of the 2022 Budget statement.
This led to chaos in the House, during which Norgbey was seen removing the Speaker’s seat.
It took the intervention of parliamentary marshals to restore order and return the seat to its position.
Despite widespread criticism, Norgbey remains unapologetic, stating, “I can never be sorry for an action that I thought through and that was orchestrated.”
He believes his actions were necessary for the “survival of the party” and to ensure the proper functioning of parliamentary procedures.
He also mentioned the possibility of challenging certain Supreme Court decisions in the future, indicating ongoing concerns about parliamentary processes.
I don’t regret snatching the speaker’s seat – Ashiaman MP, Ernest Norgbey#TV3GH pic.twitter.com/4Vzu85r5IA
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) January 6, 2025
