A 35-year-old man from Kwesimintsim in the Western Region named Kojo Mensah, today caused a stir in Parliament when he attempted to commit suicide in the chamber.

That was just after Parliament had adjourned proceedings.
The man claiming to be suffering from shoulder dislocation openly displayed a long bandage with a noose in the front row at the public gallery where he was sitting and attempted to jump over the railing in the upper gallery into the inner chamber shouting “I want to jump, I want to kill myself. I want to see the President, I want to see my MP, I want to see the speaker.”

Before he could jump, policemen in mufti stationed at the public gallery quickly grabbed him and handcuffed him.
As he was being escorted to the police station in Parliament, the man continued shouting on top of his voice that he wanted to kill himself amidst loud sobbing.

Members of Parliament present were completely shocked at the turn of events and wanted to know what was indeed wrong with the man who was wearing party ‘T’ shirt of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Kwesimintsim, Joseph Mensah, with a jacket to match.

He was whisked to the Parliament police station and later transferred to the Ministry Police station.

The Commanding Officer of the Parliamentary Protection Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Freeman Tettey, said the man’s action is a criminal offence which was a breach of security.

He said the man’s action would definitely lead to revision of security arrangements in Parliament even though Parliament is a public institution.

The man is said to be suffering from shoulder dislocation and has been seeking support from his MP for treatment but to no avail so he has decided to come and die in Parliament.

The NPP MP for Manhyia North, Collins Owusu Amankwah, deplored the conduct of the man saying it was a grand scheme by the young man to bring the image of Parliament into disrepute.