The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, was required to interrupt the sitting on Friday, March 24, in order to meet with the House leadership to discuss the voting on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s nominees for ministerial positions.
The discussion of the motion had already taken place on Thursday, but Speaker Bagbin postponed the vote until Friday after it was suspended for more than three hours without his knowledge.
Both of the House’s caucuses had previously agreed that a break should be taken so that the minority could review the 63-page report that had been produced by the Appointments Committee.
The members of the Committee who make up the majority have decided to approve all of the nominees in order to avoid disrupting the normal operations of the government. On the other hand, the minority members have decided to take the opposite position.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has spent both Thursday and Friday in Parliament in an effort to bring his parliamentary representatives into line with the party’s policies.
In a statement that was issued by General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua late on Thursday, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) also urged all 137 parliamentarians to be present in the House on Friday due to the outcome of the events that took place on Thursday.
On Friday, before the voting took place, he was also seen in the House chamber.
When the Speaker began the proceedings, the Majority was against having a secret vote and wanted the voting boxes to be placed opposite the caucuses so that no member would be able to show their vote to other members of their caucus.
On the other hand, the minority voted against this motion and demanded an immediate vote by secret ballot.
Because of this, the Speaker had no choice but to call a brief recess so that he could consult with the House’s leadership.