Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has adjourned the House indefinitely following ongoing disputes over vacant seats and the composition of Parliament.
Despite having a quorum to conduct business, Speaker Bagbin emphasized that the current number of MPs present was insufficient to make decisions, in accordance with the Constitution.
He referred to Article 102, which mandates that a quorum for parliamentary business, excluding the presiding officer, should be one-third of all members.
While the House met this requirement, Article 104 stipulates that decisions must be made by a majority of members present, with at least half of all MPs in attendance, as this condition was not met, Parliament could not take any formal decisions.
“Honourable members, we don’t have at least half of all the members of Parliament present,” Mr. Bagbin noted, before announcing his decision to adjourn the session indefinitely, citing the current uncertainty around the composition of Parliament and the need to act in the public interest.
In accordance with Standing Order 59, the Speaker, after consulting with parliamentary leadership, exercised his discretion to adjourn the session, effectively suspending proceedings without a specified date for resumption.
Parliament remains adjourned until further notice as the House seeks to resolve the ongoing issues.
Earlier today, Members of Parliament (MPs) from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), led by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, MP for Effutu, walked out of Parliament citing their commitment to peace and lawfulness.
The move followed a disagreement with Speaker Alban Sumana Bagbin’s decision regarding the occupancy of seats by National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs, as well as a pending Supreme Court ruling.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin explained that the NPP MPs chose a peaceful approach to avoid confrontation, underscoring the party’s commitment to preserving Ghana’s reputation as a peaceful nation.
He revealed that there is an ongoing legal process seeking clarification of Article 97 of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court recently ruled that the Speaker’s interpretation of the law was incorrect and nullified an earlier decision that affected four MPs from the majority caucus.
“We are law-abiding,” Afenyo-Markin stated, adding that while the majority disagreed with the Speaker’s decision, they did not disrupt proceedings, Instead, they intend to pursue the matter further in court.
He criticized the NDC’s response, noting that the minority had vowed to occupy the NPP’s seats in Parliament.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin praised the NPP’s history of using the courts to resolve disputes and improve democratic processes, emphasizing that the NPP would not provide a platform for what he described as the NDC’s attempts to disrupt democracy, calling for civil engagement and respect for the legal process.
He added that The NPP MPs will await Speaker Alban Bagbin’s directive, as he has been formally notified of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin concluded by urging Ghanaians to remain calm, assuring them that the NPP would continue to uphold the rule of law and safeguard the nation’s peace.
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Source: ATLFMNEWS
