By Ebi Kesiena
Ghana’s Parliament was adjourned indefinitely on Tuesday due to a legal dispute stemming from the Speaker’s decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant.
This announcement by Speaker Alban Bagbin halts all legislative activities just two months before the country’s general elections, potentially delaying the passage of crucial bills and budget approvals.
Often seen as a beacon of political stability in a region marked by unrest, Ghana’s Parliament has experienced its share of turbulence. Notably, during its inauguration in 2021, soldiers were called in to restore order after a brawl broke out.
Tuesday’s adjournment resulted from a standoff between the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), which now holds a slim majority following the defection of four lawmakers. The constitution prohibits MPs from switching parties or running as independents, a central issue in the current dispute.
The declared vacant seats include two from the NPP, one from the NDC, and one independent MP. “We don’t have at least half of all members of parliament present,” Bagbin explained, invoking parliamentary rules. “Given the circumstances and the questions surrounding the composition of Parliament, I will proceed to adjourn the House indefinitely.”
The NPP, whose members walked out in protest, has challenged the legality of the Speaker’s decision and taken the matter to the Supreme Court. NPP leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who led the walkout, emphasized the party’s intent to avoid physical confrontation with the opposition, which had occupied their seats in protest.
“The NPP has always used the courts to correct wrongs,” he stated, asserting that they would not allow the NDC to create chaos.
The indefinite adjournment comes just ahead of Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for December 7.
