The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has once again adjourned sittings of parliament indefinitely again following the lack of quorum to take decisions.
Parliament reconvened on Thursday morning following a recall by the NPP Caucus but Speaker had to adjourn the sittings indefinitely because the Business Committee had not presented anything before the house to transact business.
Bagbin said the absence of the Committee and the prevailing circumstances where the NPP Caucus failed to be part of the sittings compelled him, once again, to adjourn the house.
Background
Parliament has been in the news for some time now following a stand-off between the NDC and NPP Caucuses over which side should be Majority or Minority over the speaker’s decision to declare four seats vacant.
Bagbin declared the four seats vacant on the grounds that, the affected Members of Parliament had crossed carpet, by filing to contest the December 7, 2024 parliamentary elections in different capacities, either as independent or on the ticket of political parties, a development, which is different from the status on which they are currently in the House.
That ruling by the Speaker has since been challenged at the Supreme Court and it is still pending.
Currtently, there is confusion in the House as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) side is claiming that per the Speaker’s ruling, they now have majority seats with 136 seats while the New Patriotic Party (NPP) side is now Minority with 135 seats.
The NPP side however disagrees with that position, explaining that per a Supreme Court directive following the application for interpretation of the Article 97, the Speaker’s ruling is on hold and therefore they are still the Majority in Parliament.
At the last sitting of the House, the NPP side walked out and rendered Parliament disabled to have the numbers to take decisions even though they had the numbers to start business with only members from the NDC side present.
However, due to a request by Members of Parliament to recall the House following the indefinite adjournment, the Speaker of Parliament last week indicated that his office has already started processes to recall the House in early November.
The recall was made pursuant to Article 112 (3) of Ghana’s Constitution and Standing Orders 5 and 53, allowing the Speaker to summon Parliament as needed in the public interest.
Source: Myxyzonline.com
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