The Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has declined a request made to him by the Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to recall the House.
The speaker said that the House would resume sitting after the elections on December 7 to complete all essential matters before a seamless transition to the 9th Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana.
The House was adjourned indefinitely on November 7, when Speaker Bagbin suspended proceedings due to the absence of a prepared agenda from the Business Committee.
Alexander Afenyo-Markin, lawmaker for Effutu, later urged Speaker Bagbin to exercise his constitutional mandate under Standing Orders 57(3) and 58(4) to reconvene Parliament to address the outstanding business of the House.
But in response to him, the Speaker said “I write in response to your memo on the above subject which was received at the Office of the Speaker on Friday 22nd November 2024 at a time I was out of office to honor an invitation outside Accra. Your memo calls on me to exercise my discretion, pursuant to Orders 57(3) and 58(4) of the Standing Orders of the House, to summon the House to sit for two days, Thursday 28 and Friday 29th November 2024, to consider twenty-two (22) items, all of which you referred to as either outstanding public business or urgent Government Business.
“Hon. Leader, as you may be aware, the performance of the functions of Parliament and the duties of members of Parliament extends beyond the plenary sittings of Parliament.
“Again as you are aware, the parliamentary calendar acknowledges elections campaign periods. This season is for the Government, Parties, and both presidential and parliamentary candidates to present their manifestoes to the people, and to account and justify how the mandate given them by the voters for the four-year term of office has been applied to the benefit of the people. Bearing in mind the provisions of Article 296 (a) and (b) of the Constitution, 1992, and the closeness of your proposed dates to the general election, I am of the considered opinion, that it would not be in the national interest to interrupt the campaigns of members and parties by a recall to plenary sitting of Parliament. Consequently, it will not be fair to exercise my discretion in favor of your request to summon Members of Parliament at this time to a two-day sitting to deliberate on twenty-two (22) items you consider urgent or outstanding government business.”
He added “It is worth noting that having regard to the practice and deliberations of the House, I wonder how the proposed twenty-two items could be transacted within two days. I accordingly suggest that government prioritizes these businesses together with others not captured by your memo for consideration after the conduct of the General elections on the 7th of December 2024.
“The House will resume sitting after the elections to complete all essential matters before a seamless transition to the 9th Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana. The national interest would better be served if members exhibit conduct of honor, empathy, and humility in the performance of their duties. In the circumstances, I am neither inclined nor disposed to exercise my discretion in favor of your request. The request is accordingly declined.”
Source:3news.com