Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has strongly responded to accusations from Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, who accused him of violating procurement laws by hiring lawyer Thaddeus Sory without the necessary approvals.
Addressing the media on recent developments in the legislative house today Wednesday, November 6 Alban Bagbin, visibly frustrated, declared, “I will soon tell the Attorney-General my piece of mind when I meet him,” following Dame’s allegations that the hiring of Sory’s law firm, Sory@Law, as Parliament’s solicitor had bypassed the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).
In recent reports, a letter from the PPA emerged rejecting Parliament’s attempt to single-source Sory’s firm for legal representation, asserting that the necessary procurement processes had not been followed.
The Attorney-General, speaking after a Supreme Court hearing on Wednesday, described the hiring as unlawful, claiming that all services involving public funds must be approved by the PPA.
“It was a matter that was properly brought up because, as I indicated to the court, the procurement of all goods, works, and services of any person with public funds must be with the approval of the public procurement authority,” said Mr. Dame.
He further argued that constitutional matters should focus on legal interpretation, not personal interests, emphasizing that the Speaker’s role should not entitle him to personal legal representation at the expense of due process.
Bagbin, however, rejected the allegations, accusing the Attorney-General of undermining his office.
He pointed out that the matter at hand was not about personal interests but ensuring the legal representation of Parliament in critical constitutional cases.
The Speaker also argued that the procurement laws were being misapplied in his case and that the broader question was about ensuring Parliament’s independence.
