Month: November 2024

Following the ruling of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 overturning Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of vacant seats, Mr. Alexander Afenyo-Markin has appealed to the Speaker to exercise his authority to reconvene Parliament.

“…..I respectfully look forward to your exercise of your authority to reconvene Parliament, so that together, we may resume our sacred duty to the people of Ghana without further delay or discord”.

Speaker Bagbin on November 7, 2024 adjourned the House indefinitely after Members of Parliament from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) whose behest the House was recalled failed to attend the session.

But after the ruling that brings some finality to the impasse and retain the NPP as the Majority in Parliament, Mr Afenyo-Markin has served notice of their readiness to transact their parliamentary duties, thus looking forward t the Speaker to do the needful.

“The time has come for us to move beyond this episode and redirect our energies toward our primary duty — serving the good people of Ghana ‘who elected us to represent their interests. Our nation faces pressing challenges that demand our united attention and collaborative effort.

“As we return to our legislative duties as soon as possible, let us remember that we are first and foremost servants of the people. The voters who sent us to Parliament expect us to prioritize their interests above all else. They deserve nothing less than our total commitment to advancing the development agenda that will improve their lives”.

He urged his colleagues to approach their duties with fresh vigor, determined to work together in the spirit of constructive dialogue and mutual respect.

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The Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has extended a hand of friendship to his colleagues across the political divide saying the time has come for them to move beyond this episode and redirect their energies toward their primary duty of serving the good people of Ghana who elected them to represent their interests.

“Our nation faces pressing challenges that demanded our united attention and collaborative effort”, he stated.

The Majority Leader in a statement shortly after the Supreme Court ruling that declared the Speaker’s declaration of the four seats vacant as unconstitutional said “the Supreme Court’s decision should not be seen as a victory for one side or a defeat for another. Rather, it represents a triumph for our constitutional democracy and the rule of law. It reinforces the principle that in our Republic, every institution, no matter how exalted, must operate within the bounds of our Constitution”.

He also reaffirmed his utmost respect to the Speaker and his office stating that “this judicial interpretation of our Constitution should strengthen, not weaken, the relationship between leadership and members of the House. With the highest regard for your wisdom and commitment to our democracy, I respectfully look forward to your exercise of your authority to reconvene Parliament, so that together, we may resume our sacred duty to the people of Ghana without further delay or discord”.

The decision by the Apex Court thus clear the way for the four MPs; Cynthia Mamle Morrison (NPP, Agona West); Peter Yaw Kwakye Ackah (NDC, Amenfi Central), Kwadjo Asante (NPP, Suhum), and Andrew Asiamah Amoako (Independent, Fomena) to return to the House until the expiration of this parliament.

Read the full statement below

Statement on Supreme Court’s ruling on parliamentary seats

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The Supreme Court has reversed Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin’s declaration of four seats vacant in parliament.

A 5-2 decision by the 7-member panel on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 ruled that the Speaker, Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four seats as vacant is unconstitutional.

The Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo however said the reasons for the verdict would be provided on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

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Mr. Alexander Afenyo-Markin has vowed that his side, the New Patriotic Party Members of Parliament would never assume the Minority seat in parliament.

He described that decision as a bad omen since it was close to election. “….I should go and sit on the Minority seat? Spiritually, it is not even good. We have three weeks to election I should go and sit on the Minority seat, is that my seat? I won’t even dare, I will never do it, that’s not my rightful place”. He emphasized that no NPP MP will do that.

He also alleged that they were privy to certain things that they cannot make public; adding that if the NPP had entered the chamber to enforce their right “perhaps we wouldn’t have been here”.

“We are decent people, we respect the court, we respect the law, and our doors are opened to Mr. Speaker’s call. I repeat our doors are opened to Mr. Speaker’s call; political decisions are for common sense approach, we believe in the common sense approach in solving this, and the common sense approach is for Mr. Speaker to direct the NDC side to go back to their seat”.

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Leader of the New Patriotic Party Caucus in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has affirmed his side’s readiness for Speaker Bagbin’s olive branch to settle the impasse in parliament.

“We want Mr. Speaker to demonstrate the statesmanship that he’s always known to be, on this occasion, it’s been disappointing, but we’ll not give up because we believe that upon reflection, upon reflection, Mr. Speaker will do the needful”.

Speaking on Monday, after the Supreme Court adjourned the case on the four vacant seats in parliament, Mr. Afenyo-Markin accused the Speaker of being in the known of all that the NDC in parliament is doing, hence he has to call them to order; “else he would be complicit as we see him to be; he is the head of the Assembly”, he added.

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The Supreme Court has deferred the ruling on the four vacant seats in parliament to Tuesday, November 12, 2024.

The Supreme Court on Monday concluded arguments presented by the plaintiff and the Attorney-General, as counsel for the Speaker was not present in court during the hearing.

In the previous proceedings, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo directed Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin to submit relevant documents by Wednesday, November 6.
This order came after the Speaker’s counsel, Thaddeus Sory, sought additional time to consult with the Speaker and obtain necessary instructions for the case.

However, the Speaker Alban Bagbin failed to submit a statement of case in the Supreme Court regarding the legal dispute over the vacant parliamentary seats.

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The Supreme Court is ruling on the contentious case regarding the vacant parliamentary seats of three MPs who have filed to run as independent candidates and one independent joining the NPP in the upcoming December general elections following an adjournment on October 30.

In the previous proceedings, Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo directed Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin to submit relevant documents by Wednesday, November 6.

This order came after the Speaker’s counsel, Thaddeus Sory, sought additional time to consult with the Speaker and obtain necessary instructions for the case.

Ghanamps.com

The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, has once again extended support to fishing communities within his constituency as part of his annual initiative aimed at empowering local fishmongers.

This year, a total of 897 women engaged in fish selling and processing across various communities, including Lekpoonor, Kponkpo, Ningo, Prampram, and Letsuwonor, received essential tools to enhance their trade.

The items distributed included wire meshes for smoking fish, aluminium bowls, and aprons, among others, all intended to boost productivity and improve the conditions in which these women work. This annual event complements an earlier Livelihood Support Program, where fishmongers were provided with capital to sustain and grow their businesses.

“This is something we do almost every year. We support the fishmongers and the women engaged in selling fish. Previously, we ran a livelihood support program, providing them with money and capital to buy fish. Today, we’ve distributed wire mesh, which they use to smoke the fish.”

Touching on his chances in the upcoming elections, he said “Ningo Prampram is ready for Dzata and John Mahama, and John Mahama and Dzata are ready for Ningo Prampram as well.”

“I think that the desire of the people is to see John Mahama become president and to see me return, for my 3rd term to serve them. They’ve been witnesses to the kind of representation I’ve given to them in parliament. They’ve witnessed and experienced firsthand the interventions I’ve made in their livelihood in human capital development, and they can only imagine what will happen when John Mahama becomes president.”

I mean, John Mahama himself was here about 3 weeks ago, and he made a testament to the fact that they have a worthy, representative in parliament and that, he’s excited about the potential for Ningo Prampram when he becomes president with Sam George as MP. And so, yes, I’m confident that this time, we should establish our biggest victory and our highest number of votes yet. We borderline touched 50,000 in the last election. This time, we’re looking to get as close to 70,000 as possible.”

The event was attended by leaders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) within the constituency.

Many beneficiaries expressed heartfelt gratitude for the support, describing it as essential to sustaining their livelihoods and improving their trade.

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Hon. Francisca Oteng-Mensah appointed Chairman of National Youth Authority in 2017, making her first entry into Ghana’s Parliament

Member of Parliament for Assin Central Ken Ohene Agyapong has set the records straight that he did not run away from the chamber when the House had its emergency recall on Thursday, November 7, 2024, as journalists seek to ask.

According to him they were in a caucus meeting, and he was asked to engage the Rt. Hon Speaker Alban Bagbin as they got wind that the NDC group was occupying seats to the right of the Speaker which usually belongs to the Majority.

“When I entered the chamber there was proceedings ongoing so it’s not deliberate that the NPP refused, we had to engage the Speaker, I am not in leadership they respect my opinion and I know Speaker as friend before I even entered Parliament. He was my company lawyer, and I give him that respect and sometimes I go to him to share ideas.

So I was asked to this time around to engage the speaker since he is my man. Unfortunately our caucus meeting took so long and there was no TV for us to monitor what was going on, “so young man I was not running away, we were coming to consult the Speaker and the Minority before we go in there unfortunately when we got there he was sitting, we had to walk away”.

“Now, the question is, where NDC was sitting, where did you want me to go and seat. Do you want me to go and pull my chair from my colleague from the other side? No, we do not want the chaos that happened at the beginning of the lifespan of this parliament to happen, so peacefully I walked out with the deputy Majority leader and the two whips”.

Mr Agyapong who said his major concern is the preservation of the peace of the country said, “we have nowhere to go, only Ghana, so we should be mindful of whatever we are going to say. This politics where journalists have taken an entrenched position and politicians, it will not help us. I am begging you, what happened today, we were not boycotting, we wanted an understanding and the meeting took too long”, he affirmed.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com