Speaker petitioned to recall parliament

A group of NPP MPs led by Efutu lawmaker Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has formally petitioned the Speaker of Parliament to reconvene the House before the end of November.

In a memo addressed to the Speaker, Afenyo-Markin emphasized the need to address several critical government matters that are vital to the country’s functioning. “I must respectfully highlight that these are urgent issues for the Government,” he stated.

Afenyo-Markin further reminded the Speaker that the Sixth Meeting of the Fourth Session, scheduled for November 7, 2024, was adjourned without consideration of key government business. He noted that several urgent government matters, which had been advertised and scheduled for discussion before the adjournment, remain unaddressed.

“A reconvening of Parliament would demonstrate that, despite the approaching electoral season, Parliament remains committed to fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities and advancing the national interest through bipartisan collaboration,” Afenyo-Markin added.

This request comes shortly after the Supreme Court ruled that the Speaker’s decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant was unconstitutional. On November 12, 2024, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo stated that the Speaker’s declaration could not stand.

Background

On October 17, 2024, Speaker Alban Sumana Bagbin declared four parliamentary seats vacant, just two months before the national elections in December. The MPs affected were Peter Yaw Kwakye Ackah of the NDC (Amenfi Central, Western Region), Andrew Amoako Asiamah of the NPP (Fomena, Ashanti Region), Kojo Asante of the NPP (Suhum, Eastern Region), and Cynthia Morrison of the NPP (Agona West, Central Region). Their seats were declared vacant after they announced their intention to run as independent candidates in the upcoming election.

The declaration shifted the balance of power in Ghana’s hung parliament, which had previously given the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) a slim majority, relying on the support of independent MP Asiamah. With the seats now vacant, the balance tilted in favor of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In response, Afenyo-Markin, filed an injunction at the Supreme Court to challenge the Speaker’s decision. The Court issued a stay on the Speaker’s declaration, but the Speaker’s legal team later sought to overturn the Court’s ruling, arguing that the Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction over the matter.

The controversy has sparked widespread debate, particularly among the political elite, with concerns that the ongoing impasse could disrupt government operations and undermine the country’s stability as the elections draw near.