The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, is moving to recall the House following a petition from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Caucus, which highlighted the need to address urgent legislative matters. During a meeting with a five-member delegation from the Council of State, led by Nana Otuo Siriboe II, Bagbin confirmed that processes to reconvene Parliament are already underway. He provided insights into recent developments that resulted in the indefinite adjournment of sessions and assured the delegation of his commitment to strengthening Ghana’s democracy.
Despite his impending attendance at the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) International Conference in Sydney from November 3 to 8, where he is set to hand over leadership duties, Bagbin indicated he would return to Ghana sooner than planned in response to requests from Members of Parliament for a recall. His leadership has been commended for effectively managing the Legislature during challenging times, including his recent re-election as President of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures.
The current impasse arose after Bagbin declared four parliamentary seats vacant on October 17, prompting the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to claim a new majority. The affected seats involve two NPP members running as independents and one independent candidate contesting on the NPP ticket, along with a fourth seat held by the NDC. Following a Supreme Court directive to suspend his ruling, Bagbin announced the indefinite adjournment, emphasizing the lack of quorum for decision-making. The Court is expected to issue a judgment on November 11 regarding the ongoing legal disputes surrounding these vacancies.
