The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, will break his silence today over the stalemate on reopening the House, following the dismissal of the four Members of Parliament (MPs) for switching sides and well as going independent.
He is holding a press conference, but it remains uncertain what he will say with regard to the Supreme Court rulings and on the issue of which party; the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) form the Majority in Parliament.
It will be his first statement outside the floor and chambers of Parliament where he is the third most powerful person, as well as outside events in adjudicating rooms of the Supreme Court, where the Chief Justice, Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, the country’s fourth most important personality is.
A statement from the Public Affairs Department of Parliament, announced that the speaker’s programme is fixed at 2 pm today.
It said “The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin will address the media on recent developments within Parliament and broader issues concerning democratic development in Ghana”.
The statement went on to explain that “This engagement aims to provide an opportunity for the media to discuss critical issues affecting Ghana’s Parliamentary Democracy, including recent events that have led to significant political developments”.
The address with take place inside the Justice DF Annan Auditorium- Job 600,Parliament House.
The speaker of Parliament at a recent meeting with the Members of the Council of State, said he would be reopening the House, in early November.
This comes as the NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has filed a writ at the Accra High Court against the Speaker, Alban Bagbin.
In the writ, the MP requested the court to compel the Speaker to confirm whether the four vacant seats in the legislature are still held.
The MP, further claimed that the Speaker should declare that the four legislators have vacated their seats to contest the upcoming election on tickets other than the one that brought them into the House.
The writ also demanded that any composition of Parliament after October 17, involving the affected members is unlawful and illegal.
The Member of Parliament (MP) stated that the October 17, ruling is valid because the Speaker’s move is backed by provisions of Article 97(1)(g) and (h) of the 1992 Constitution.
The MP, therefore, asserted his claim that “an order should be directed at the Defendant to ensure that Mr Andrew Amoako Asiamah, Member of Parliament for Fomena; Mrs Cynthia Mamle Morrison, Member of Parliament for Agona West; Mr Kwadwo Asante, Member of Parliament for Sohum; and Mr Peter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah, Member of Parliament for Amenfi Central, no longer have access to the chamber of Parliament to participate in parliamentary proceedings.”
The development has since sparked conversations within the country’s judicial sector, with some supporting the Speaker’s declaration, while others have opposed the move, arguing that the Speaker did not adhere to the laws governing the House.
Many legislative duties in the country, including a critical requirement—the approval of the 2025 Budget per Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 21 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921)—are on hold.
Tax waivers and other key financial agreements, including the approval of the $250 million Ghana Financial Stability Fund, are also stalled.
They are several issues awaiting deliberation in Parliament, they include the revocation of the L.I. on mining in forest reserves was a key condition given by Organised Labour for it to rescind its planned strike action over the menace of illegal mining, called galamsey.
The government is to present a Legislative Instrument (L.I.) to Parliament to revoke the existing law- Environmental Protection (Mining in Forest Reserves) (Revocation) Instrument, L.I. 2462- which allows mining in forest reserves. The revocation of L.I. 2462, will lead to a total ban on mining in forest reserves.
One of the government’s businesses that has also been affected by the suspension, is the approval of a $250 million Ghana Financial Stability Fund. The fund was one of the urgent matters outlined by the NPP MPs when they triggered a recall of Parliament on August 1, 2024.
A $250 million Ghana Energy Sector loan, is also at stake. The facility is a financing agreement between the Government of Ghana and the International Development Association for the Ghana Energy Sector Recovery Programme.
Another government business lingering in Parliament is the approval of US$350 million worth of tax waivers.
The government wants Parliament to approve tax waivers worth US$334 million for 42 private companies. One of the entities on the list was Santuo Oil Refinery, which the government was seeking to grant $164.6 million in tax waivers.
The approval of two Supreme Court justices nominated by President Nana Akufo-Addo is also in jeopardy due to the suspension of Parliament.
Akufo-Addo, nominated Prof Richard Frimpong Oppong, a legal academic and fellow of the Ghana Academy of Sciences, and Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah, a justice of the Court of Appeal, for appointment to the apex court of the land.
The Appointment Committee of Parliament has vetted the two nominees, but the committee has yet to send a report to the plenary for a decision to be made on their appointment.
