The National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucus in Ghana’s Parliament has announced plans to resist any move by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to recall the legislature. This announcement follows a recent parliamentary session on November 7, 2024, where proceedings were adjourned due to an absence of NPP MPs.
During a press briefing, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, leader of the NDC caucus, accused the NPP of creating unnecessary financial burdens on the state by repeatedly recalling Parliament without addressing urgent legislative business. Dr. Forson noted that NDC MPs had to forgo their constituency duties to attend the session, resulting in logistical and financial inconveniences, yet no substantive business was conducted.
In contrast, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, leader of the NPP caucus, argued that the recall was necessary to address pressing government matters. However, the NDC has issued a statement warning that they will actively oppose any further recall attempts, asserting that the recent session lacked a clear agenda and did not justify the disruption to MPs’ schedules.
In its statement, the NDC caucus expressed disappointment in the NPP’s handling of parliamentary procedures. They claimed that Afenyo-Markin misused parliamentary rules to force an urgent recall, only to abandon the session. The statement also condemned Afenyo-Markin's remarks criticizing Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, calling the comments "unwarranted and disrespectful." According to the NDC, Speaker Bagbin has remained impartial and has demonstrated dedication to upholding Ghana’s Constitution, and they demanded an apology from Afenyo-Markin for what they described as a smear campaign against the Speaker.
The NDC caucus highlighted that it had mobilized over 100 MPs, ready to engage in parliamentary work during the session, while the NPP caucus managed to gather fewer than 30 MPs, leading to an abrupt adjournment. The NDC warned that if the NPP caucus seeks another recall, they will face firm resistance unless justified by genuine legislative needs. The statement further urged the public to hold the NPP accountable for what it characterized as a wasteful use of public resources.
The NDC concluded by urging Afenyo-Markin to reconsider his approach and to apologize to Speaker Bagbin for his recent conduct, emphasizing that a productive parliamentary session requires mutual respect and adherence to democratic principles.
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