Stalemate in Parliament: Speaker adjourns sitting sine die …cites lack of quorum, exigencies of state of affairs in Parliament

Mr Alban Bagbin

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has adjourned the House sine die following a stalemate over who constitutes majority in the legislative assembly.

The adjournment puts on ice some major government businesses scheduled for consideration during the meeting including the approval of two nominees to the Supreme Court, a US$250 million loan facility for the Ghana Financial Stability Project, and tax waivers to the tune of US$350 amongst others.

Mr Alban Bagbin

The abrupt and indefinite adjournment of the House comes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s suspension of the Speaker’s ruling which declared four seats vacant on Thursday, October 17, 2024.

By that ruling of the Speaker, the National Democratic Congress caucus now has 136 seats to the New Patriotic Party’s 135.

The decision of the Speaker and the subsequent suspension of same by the apex court had raised questions of constitutional crisis as both the NDC and NPP caucuses claim majority.

Adjourning the House which was attended by only the NDC caucus in Accra yesterday, the Speaker cited the lack of decision-making quorum, and the mood of the country as reasons for the adjournment.

“In view of the current circumstances, the fact that there is question on the composition and constitution of Parliament and having regard to the public interest, and the exigencies of the state of affairs in Parliament, I’ll proceed to…adjourn the House indefinitely,” he said.

The Speaker informed the House that following his declaration of the seats vacant, he received a process from the Supreme Court directing Parliament to recognise and allow the four affected MPs to duly represent their constituents and conduct full scope of duties of their offices as MPs pending a final determination of the suit filed by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, leader of the NPP caucus and MP for Effutu.

The sitting was preceded by drama as Members of both caucuses scrambled for seats on the right hand side of the Speaker; the designated place for the Majority side of the House.

Bolstered by the Speaker’s declaration and their numerical strengths after same, the NDC MPs joined their NPP colleagues to share the space which has been occupied by the NPP since January 7, 2021.

But to avoid what MrAfenyo-Markin said could be a confrontation, he led his caucus out of the chamber leaving behind their opposite colleagues.

The Ghana flag-waving well represented NDC caucus jeered at the NPP group as they filed out of the chamber.

“We would not share with our colleagues that lawless theatre because our country Ghana is biggerthan any individual. It is a notorious fact that we remain the majority caucus of this Parliament,” Mr Afenyo-Markin told the press after they walked out.

But addressing the press after the indefinite adjournment, leader of the NDC caucus, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, MP for Ajumako/ Enyan/Essiam, said they remain the Majority in the House.

Earlier before sitting commenced, personnel from the National Dog Academy of the Ghana Armed Forces had stormed the chamber of the House with sniffer dogs to ensure it was safe for habitation amidst tight security manned by the Marshall’s Department of Parliament.

BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI