Parliament will meet today, Thursday, November 7, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at the Accra International Conference Centre’s Grand Arena, as directed by Speaker Alban Bagbin.
This session is anticipated to address serious concerns that have gone unsolved due to a lengthy impasse in the House.
The standoff began when Speaker Bagbin declared four parliamentary seats vacant — Fomena, Amenfi Central, Suhum, and Agona West — sparking fierce criticism from the Majority faction, who said it compromised their representation in Parliament.
Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin then filed a writ in the Supreme Court, disputing the Speaker’s jurisdiction to declare these seats vacant.
The Supreme Court intervened, staying Bagbin’s judgment, temporarily reinstating the contested seats and exacerbating tensions between the Majority and Minority factions.
The conflict escalated when the Minority caucus took over the Majority side of the chamber, capitalizing on the declared vacancies, causing Speaker Bagbin to adjourn the House.
This unprecedented turn of events called into doubt the stability of Parliament and the balance of power within the legislature.
In response, the Majority caucus advocated for a recall of Parliament, stressing the urgent need to restart legislative work and address vital issues and programmes that had been put on hold. They stressed that any delays in legislative proceedings could jeopardize important national projects.
Today’s session is expected to be a watershed moment in resolving the deadlock, with both sides preparing to discuss the future of Ghana’s legislature during one of the most controversial moments in recent parliamentary history.
