Majority requests recall of Parliament

The Majority in Parliament has formally requested that the Speaker reconvene the House before the end of November to address critical government business.

In a memo to the Speaker, Alexander Afenyo-Markin emphasized the urgency of the matters, describing them as high-priority for the government’s operations.

“The Sixth Meeting of the Fourth Session of Parliament, originally scheduled for 7th November 2024, was adjourned without addressing any government business,” Afenyo-Markin noted.

He reminded the Speaker that several urgent government matters had been advertised for discussion prior to the adjournment and stressed the importance of reconvening the House promptly.

The Majority Leader further highlighted the need for Parliament to demonstrate its commitment to constitutional duties, even amidst the peak of the election season. He called for bipartisan cooperation to advance the national interest during this critical period.

This follows a Supreme Court ruling declaring the Speaker of Parliament’s decision to vacate four parliamentary seats as unconstitutional.

At a brief sitting on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo stated that the Speaker’s decision to declare the seats vacant cannot stand.

Background

On October 17, 2024, Speaker Alban Sumana Bagbin declared the seats of four Members of Parliament vacant, just two months before the December general election.

The affected MPs include Peter Yaw Kwakye Ackah (NDC, Amenfi Central, Western Region), Andrew Amoako Asiamah (Independent, Fomena, Ashanti Region), Kojo Asante (NPP, Suhum, Eastern Region), and Cynthia Morrison (NPP, Agona West, Central Region).

The Speaker’s decision was based on their announcements to contest the December elections as independent candidates in their respective constituencies.

This move altered the dynamics of Ghana’s hung Parliament, where the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) previously held a slight advantage with the support of independent MP Andrew Amoako Asiamah. The shift effectively tilted power in favor of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In response, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin filed an injunction application at the Supreme Court to challenge the Speaker’s declaration. The Court granted a stay of execution against the decision.

Subsequently, the Speaker sought to overturn the Supreme Court’s ruling, arguing through his legal team that the Court lacked jurisdiction over the case brought by Effutu MP Alexander Afenyo-Markin.