Month: October 2024

Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin said his side will not give that lawless platform that their colleagues in the Minority National Democratic Congress who are seeking when they occupied the Majority side of the House on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, after the Speaker declared four seats vacant.

“We will not give them that theater they so aggressively seek to disrupt democracy and to destroy our nation. We know there are innocent people out there, Ghanaians going about their business, innocent Ghanaians’ who are working to get three square meals on the table of their families, we care about them”.

And we understand that there is politics, but we should do it civilly, we believe the appropriate thing is to leave the chamber for them and wait upon Mr. Speaker, the court ruling was directed at Parliament and the Speaker not an individual MP, he added.

Briefing the press as they walked out of the chamber, he noted that yesterday, parliament was served with the Supreme Court Service, “we were not disrespectful of the chair when he made his pronouncement, and we disagree with the Speaker, we did not course commotion in the House”.

“And we left and made Speaker aware that the right place to express those grievances is the Supreme Court, so we expect our brother and sisters on the NDC Minority side to do the needful. But all we need from the Speaker is to make a final determination; the nation is looking up to Mr. Speaker, all his years in politics.

“This is a crucial moment for him to add weight to what we have done to preserve the peace, NPP is for peace, and we will not allow anybody to disturb the peace of the country. It’s a notorious fact that we maintain the Majority side of this parliament you should add your voice for our colleague to respect the law”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Tensions high as Ghana’s democracy face another test Ghana’s democracy will come under intense scrutiny today, Tuesday, October 2024 when parliament resumes after the Supreme Court’s ruling setting aside Speaker Bagbin’s declaration of four seats vacant.

Since Friday, there had been some uneasy atmosphere in the country following the decision of the Supreme Court.

Public opinion about the Supreme Court’s ruling has not been favourable to the Apex Court of the land with many criticizing them for setting the stage for chaos, mostly because many believe they do not have jurisdiction over what they did.

Will it be a show of power play or there will be some compromise? It is unclear what today’s sitting holds as there is no sign any of the sides in parliament is ready to engage.

With both sides taking entrenched position of being in the Majority in parliament, the whole country is looking up to the decision of the Speaker to settle matters.

Will the Hon. Speaker bow to the directive from the Supreme Court, or will he affirm his earlier ruling that declared the four seats vacant?

Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Service having gaged the atmosphere of the country, has tightened security at the Dome of the Accra International Conference Centre, where parliament currently conducts sittings following ongoing renovation works.

Ghanamps.com

The Parliamentary Service has issued statement detailing security measures for Tuesday, October 22, 2024 proceedings in parliament.

The measure according to the Parliamentary Service is to ensure the safety and security of the Hon. Speaker, Members of Parliament, staff and the media who would be allowed into the chamber.

Read below the full directive from the Parliamentary Service.

Ghanamps.com

The Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo Markin has revealed that a true copy of the Supreme Court’s order freezing Speaker Bagbin’s decision that declared four seats vacant has been served the Legal Department of Parliament this afternoon, Monday, October 21, 2024.

“Like I said, NPP we use brain work, we do not fight; we are not going to organize people to storm Parliament, make noise with holding placards. Let the law works so that there can be peace in Ghana”.

According to him the Legal Director of Ghana’s Parliament, Nana Tawiah Okyere received the bailiff and he has been informed by the bailiff from the Supreme Court in a video posted on his Facebook account.

“At long last Parliament has subjected itself to court processes, and has taken service. We look forward to Parliament respecting the orders of the Supreme Court; that is the good”.

As to what this means, he noted that there is no controversy again, the court has ruled that its orders be served on Parliament and upon being served Parliament should file its defense within seven days.

Again, Parliament so far has shown that it is law abiding from its conduct this afternoon compared to last week when it said that the director of legal was not ready to receive service now, he has willingly received service. “It was not thrown at him, he has received it, sign for it; that is the beauty of democracy; something positive is working somewhere, let see how it goes”.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

In the wake of the stalemate over which of the political parties is in the Majority following the declaration of four seats vacant by the Speaker, and the subsequent directive from the Supreme Court to halt the action of the Speaker, Mr. Governs Kwame Agbodza has alleged that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government is planning to deploy the military to the Dome of the Accra International Conference Centre where parliament is currently operating from.

This, he said, when actualized on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, the people of Ghana will meet the military and police very forcefully.

Responding to questions after a press briefing in parliament on Sunday, October 20, 2024, Mr. Agbodza said MPs only respect the ruling of the Speaker; and added that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in parliament have not heard the pronouncement of the Supreme court, thus insisted they are now the Majority per the ruling of the Speaker.

When Ghanamps.com asked whether the, “current eighth Parliament which started with a fight will end its lifespan with a fight, the Adaklu Member of Parliament recounted that at the start of the lifespan of the eighth Parliament, it was the government who ordered the military to enter the chamber, and they came in to assault members, and added that a motion has been filled on this.

“We know those individuals involved; we have details of them and what they did in the chamber is not yet sun set on. If they repeat the same misconduct, the people of this country are sovereign, if you wear a military or police uniform, you work with the constitution, the life of this government is less than two months; they will have to account for their conduct. The people of this country will react forcefully to any misconduct of anybody on Tuesday and beyond”, he emphasised.

Meanwhile, the now Majority Leader, Dr. Ato Forson noted that they will not fight on Tuesday, October 22, 2024; they will only fight against corruption, and we will not fight among ourselves on the floor of the House, but we will protect the constitution, nothing more.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Mr. Mahama Ayariga, the member of Parliament for Bawku Central said they (NDC Majority are not aware of any law or constitutional provision that allows anybody to suspend a decision by the Speaker of parliament properly constituted.

“What we know under Article 2 of the Constitution and Article 130 of the constitution, the Supreme Court has jurisdiction to make a declaration as to whether or not an act is consistent or inconsistent with a provision of the constitution. But to suspend a decision of parliament or a directive of the Speaker in parliament, we are not aware of the legal basis of a conduct like that”, he stated.

This notwithstanding, he said parliamentarians act on the basis of communication from the Speaker, and not rely on the media or record of proceedings from any court on social media; and so if any communication from the Speaker says we should walk into the sea, we walk into the sea because we listen only to the Speaker and nobody else in relations to the integrity, legality and appropriateness of what has happened in the chamber of parliament.

Mr Ayariga was responding to questions from the media during a press briefing on Sunday, October 20, 2024, in parliament on whether or not the new NDC Majority would abide by the Supreme Court’s ruling on the four seats that had been declared vacant by the Speaker of parliament.

Ghanamps.com

The National Democratic Congress in Parliament has affirmed their Majority status in parliament following the declaration of four seats in parliament by the Speaker of Parliament.

In a press briefing on Sunday, October 20, 2024, in Parliament, the New Majority Leader, Dr. Ato Forson was emphatic of their resolve never to backdown from their newly attained Majority status not even the courts.

“We’ll jealously protect our new Majority status and will not bow, retreat or surrender our lawfully earned status”

“We’ll also not abdicate our responsibilities to the people of Ghana no matter what; nothing, absolutely nothing will change this position. We are fortified that the proceedings of parliament shall not be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of parliament”

He asserts that any interference of the business of parliament is unlawful, unacceptable and shall be resisted.

He said they are poised to make good use of their new Majority position to the larger group of the Ghanaian society.

Specifically, he said they will institute measures to cancel some of the obnoxious taxes imposed on the citizens including the e-levy and betting tax. “We have never hidden our position that we are in parliament for the ordinary people”

As such, he disclosed that indeed the new NDC Majority will introduce private members’ bill to remove the E-levy and to reduce the suffering of the people of Ghana. “It is also true that we’ll use our new majority to remove the betting tax and other nuisance taxes.”

He asserts that the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) have already made Ghana a high tax regime which is negatively impacting the livelihood of Ghanaians and businesses. Thus, it is their resolve to use their new majority to protect businesses and the people of Ghana.

Dr. Ato Forson affirmed the new Majority’s believe that Speaker Bagbin acted fairly, firmly and lawfully in a matter that is perfectly within his domain. As such they stand with him and urged the public to do same.

Ghanamps.com

Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamen Afenyo-Markin has faulted the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon Alban Bagbin for not following due process in his declaration of four seats vacant in parliament.

The decision of the Speaker has since brought some friction between the two sides with each claiming to be in the Majority, especially after the Supreme Court ruling on the ex-parte application filled by Afenyo-Markin.

The Effutu lawmaker, Alexander Kwamen Afenyo-Markin points out that despite the ruling of the Speaker, he still referred to him as the Majority Leader and pointed out that if Mr. speaker had   allowed the matters in issue to be properly determined, “we will not have been where we are today”.

“My question is why the rush. What has become of the Haruna Iddrisu petition? He has rendered his petition Otiose is like the Haruna Iddrisu petition will have led to a due process being followed”.

“When did a Speaker allow a statement to metaphors into a motion for him to rule on?

He questioned why Joy FM did not address this yesterday. “Is it that there is no provision for what is to be done when a statement is made. Did what Ato Forson do meet the requirement of a statement under Order 93?”

Any written document, Bible, Quran, any holy book including our constitution should be read as a whole; the rule of automaticity does not really operate as a means to an end, due process is always a preferred vehicle to achieve a means, he added.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

Leader of Government Business, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has expressed worry over the conduct of the Speaker Rt. Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin in his ruling that declared four seats vacant.

The Speaker, he said threatened him, (Afenyo-Markin) and became so apprehensive to the extent of calling the marshal on him; a development he described as most unfair”.

According to him after the Speaker had said whatever he wanted to say, “he was pushing me, under which rules was I coming under, basically stopping me from speaking; and did not want me to speak. I yielded to him that is his platform.

He said if Parliament is all about Speakers, he should take it. However, he has forgotten that it took fifty calumets from us to make him a Speaker.

“Often, he forgets and does the biding of NDC; if all the NDC members voted for him, he will not be Speaker, but we leave that to posterity and his own good judgement”, he lamented in an interview.

As to whether the New Patriotic Party (NPP) constitution is not specific that when you go independent, you are no longer a member of the party, he said the specific provision under Article three details the rights of a member; despite that, there is a clause that confesses the automaticity right.

Same party constitution gives due process, right of fair hearing on the member who is affected. A member shall have the right to participate in all activities of the party subject to rules and regulations.

He further pointed out that, that member should be heard whenever his or her activities and conducts are in question and under consideration. “If any member has decided to file as an independent candidate in the next election and the party is not happy, the constitution of the party enjoins the party to hear the person to explain his activities.

Again, we in the NPP, we have not written to Mr. Speaker. They said they were following precedence. Even if that is the precedence they want to follow, that precedence was triggered by a certain process.

“Has the NDC written to Mr. Speaker, has the General Secretary done that to the Speaker, that indeed our member Ackah has been sacked?”.

Has NPP written. I as the Majority Leader and Leader of the caucus have I written to Mr. Speaker to say that this is the communication from the party therefore please proceed?”

“So, you place something on nothing and that is why it is falling and crushing. There is nothing that support their action, he affirmed.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com