The NDC Caucus in Parliament has accused the NPP Caucus of causing financial loss to the state by failing to attend a recent parliamentary session.
Just last month, the NPP Caucus had requested that the Speaker of Parliament, under Article 113 of Parliament’s Standing Orders, summon members to address urgent government business. The agenda included a request for tax exemptions for beneficiaries of the One District, One Factory programme, approval of a $250 million International Development Association facility to operationalize the Ghana Financial Stability Fund, and the consideration of six key bills: the Environmental Protection Agency Bill, 2024; the Social Protection Bill, 2023; the Customs (Amendment) Bill, 2024; the Budget Bill, 2023; the Ghana Boundary Commission Bill, 2023; and the Intestate Succession Bill, 2022.
However, despite the Speaker’s recall on November 7, 2022, the NPP Caucus failed to appear in the chamber. According to Dr. Ato Forson, leader of the NDC Caucus, “I am deeply worried and concerned that the very people who requested Parliament to be recalled failed to show up. Clearly, this is an abuse of the constitution and standing orders of Ghana’s Parliament.”
Dr. Forson argued that the NPP Minority Caucus has caused financial loss to the state, noting that recalls impose costs on Ghana. “We call on the people of Ghana to hold them accountable by voting them out,” he urged.
This criticism came after Speaker Alban Bagbin indefinitely adjourned Parliament on Thursday, November 7, citing a lack of business due to the absence of NPP members in the chamber. Their absence obstructed the commencement of scheduled proceedings, despite the NPP’s original call for the recall session.
Dr. Forson expressed serious concerns over the absence of NPP MPs, attributing it to apparent internal disarray within the party that he argued is disrupting essential legislative functions.
On October 17, this year, the Speaker of Parliament declared the four seats vacant following a petition from the Minority in Parliament, which effectively ended the tenure of the four MPs
Ms Morrison, Messrs Asante and Kwakye-Ackah have all filed as independent candidates for the December 7 elections, while Mr Asiamah Amoako, who was the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament until Mr Bagbin’s ruling, filed to contest the Fomena seat on the ticket of the governing NPP.
The issue had been triggered by the Minority Leader and MP for Ejumako, Enyan Essien, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, who drew the Speaker’s attention to the development on the floor of the House and asked him to rule on the issue.
The Minority had tabled their request on the strength of portions of Article 97 of the Constitution, arguing that those provisions of the Constitution abhorred the switch in allegiance midway through a parliamentarian’s tenure.
Article 97(g) states that a Member of Parliament shall vacate his seat in Parliament “if he leaves the party of which he was a member at the time of his election to Parliament to join another party or seeks to remain in Parliament as an independent member”, while Article 97(h) states that the member would forfeit his seat “if he was elected a Member of Parliament as an independent candidate and joins a political party”.
The Speaker agreed, stating in his ruling that the relevant MPs had, by their actions, vacated their seats in Parliament.
However, on October 18, the day after the ruling, Mr Afenyo-Markin, who had earlier filed a suit at the Supreme Court on October 15, seeking an interpretation of Article 97 (1) (g) and (h), filed an ex parte application for the court to put on hold the ruling by the Speaker.
The apex court granted the application, which led the Speaker to file the current application which the court dismissed last month.
By Eugene Davis
