Speaker of Ghana's Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has addressed the controversy surrounding seating arrangements in the National Assembly following his recent announcement that four parliamentary seats are now vacant. This declaration has ignited a heated debate, with some factions arguing that these vacancies give the National Democratic Congress (NDC) a majority in Parliament. Bagbin's comments come amid ongoing legal proceedings related to the issue.
In a statement made on November 6, 2024, Speaker Bagbin responded to these claims, stressing that determining the seating of Members of Parliament (MPs) is not within his purview. His remarks clearly countered the NDC's assertion that the newly declared vacant seats shift the balance of power in their favor.
Bagbin clarified that seating arrangements are typically determined by party leadership, not by the Speaker. "It is not part of the duties of a speaker to decide where an MP should be in Parliament. That determination in Ghana’s constitution doesn’t exist," he stated, seeking to dispel any misunderstandings about his responsibilities in this context.
He further noted that while Ghana’s parliamentary seating is influenced by the British Westminster model, it is not strictly defined. "In various parliaments, these concepts of majority and minority don’t exist any longer," he said, alluding to the changing nature of parliamentary systems around the world. "That is why, in my ruling, I referred to the term ‘old school,’ which is associated with the British model; the government and opposition," he elaborated.
In Ghana’s parliamentary system, MPs are arranged in a horseshoe shape, rather than following the conventional left-right division typical of many Westminster-style parliaments. Bagbin emphasized that although the number of MPs determines which party holds the majority, the seating itself is not strictly regulated. "You can sit anywhere, but the numbers dictate who is the majority and who is the minority," he concluded.
This clarification from the Speaker aims to clear up any confusion regarding his role in this matter and to highlight the flexibility of parliamentary seating in Ghana.
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