3 weeks ago
The latest update coming from the Parliament of Ghana has revealed that, the Right Honourable Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has issued a communique to recall Members of Parliament.
According to the communique, the House will be sitting on Thursday, 7 November 2024.
In the communique which was sent out on Thursday, October 31, the Speaker,'s recall is made in 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.
The session will commence at 10 a.m. in the forenoon; at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre, the temporary venue for Parliamentary sittings while the main Parliament House undergoes some renovations.
Although the communique did not disclose specific agenda for the sitting, the recall suggests that urgent national matters will be under consideration.
This recall came following Right Honourable Alban Bagbin’s recent decision to indefinitely adjourn parliamentary proceedings on Tuesday, October 22, after a contentious day in the Chamber of Parliament; and also because the House lacked the quorum to take decisions.
There were so much talks and rising tensions in the country, as the Members of Parliament from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) clashed over which of the two caucuses holds the majority in the House.
Also, Speaker Alban Bagbin; whiles communicating to the Members, before the House's adjournment, referred to a communication from the Supreme Court, which directed him to stay his prior ruling that declared some four (4) parliamentary seats vacant.
In a related development, the Supreme Court of Ghana; a panel of five Justices Chaired by Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, on Wednesday, October 30, dismissed a stay application filed by the Speaker, upholding its initial directive.
This ruling the by apex court adds another layer to the ongoing legal debate surrounding the scope of the Speaker’s powers and the judiciary’s role in parliamentary decisions.
Total Comments: 0