Author: Kwaku GhanaMPs

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

Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has pointed out that former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu as a lawyer has done the right thing by petitioning Mr. Speaker on the issue of three Members of Parliament contesting 2024 parliamentary elections as independent candidates as well as the only independent MP contesting on the ticket of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Even before the House will resume, the Tamale South Lawmaker Haruna Iddrisu indicated that the Minority will become Majority in case the three seats in the Majority side should be declared vacant.

The Majority Leader Afenyo-Markin has noted that the statement of public concern raised by the Minority leader Dr. Ato Forson is not the right way to go and rather should learn from the lawyer former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu.

Meanwhile, the Majority Leader Afenyo-Markin has gone to the Supreme court against the intention of the Tamale South MP seeking for four seats to be declared vacant.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com