Speaker Bagbin Adjourns Sitting Sine Die | Parliament

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin has adjourned Parliament sine die following the Supreme Court’s ruling.

According to him, the House has the numbers to conduct business but not to take decisions; quoting Article 102 & 104 of the 1992 constitution of Ghana which says “A quorum of Parliament, apart from the person presiding, shall be one-third of all the members of Parliament”. 104 – “Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, matters in Parliament shall be determined by the votes of the majority of members present and voting, with at least half of all the members of Parliament present”.

In view of that “I have consulted leadership and I am exercising my discretion to decide to suspend the meeting of the House indefinitely”

This means bills and other business of the House have been suspended.

NPP Vs. NDC

As sitting resumed today, the NDC and NPP MPs sat on the Majority side of the House, leaving the minority side completely vacant.

This is due to the brouhaha over which party constitutes the Majority after the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin declared 4 seats vacant. The NDC then had 136 seats and the NPP reduced to 135 after that ruling.

The NDC MPs then declared themselves as the Majority. However, the NPP MPs said they remained the Majority after the Supreme Court issued a stay of execution on Bagbin’s decision.

The NDC MPs subsequently hinted of a showdown prior to today’s sitting if the NPP MPs occupied the Majority side in Parliament.

Earlier on Monday, Hon Afenyo Markins had indicated that there was not going to be any showdown, and true to his word; they walked out peacefully while awaiting the Speaker’s apperance.

Speaker Bagbin Speaks

Rt Hon Bagbin, addressing the House, fell short of acknowledging that the NDC MPs were seated at the Majority side of the House with the Minority side vacant; neither did he address the controversies that arose following his declaration of 4 seats vacant.

He, however, acknowledged that he has “received the process from the Supreme Court which is a ruling from the Supreme Court pursuant to an ex-parte application directing Parliament to recognize and allow the 4 members of Parliament to duly represent their constituents and conduct full scope of duties of their offices as Members of parliament pending the final determination of a suit filed by Hon. Alexander Afenyo Markin”.

Sine Dine

The Speaker added that: “Having regard to the public interest and the exigencies of the state of affairs in Parliament, I’ll proceed to in accordance with standing orders 59 adjourn the House indefinitely that is sine dine”.