Author: Enestina GhanaMPs

The Bawku Community has once again been placed under a 6:00PM to 6:00AM curfew starting Monday, 28th October 2024, until further notice.

The Deputy Minister for the Interior, Naana Eyiah in a press release dated October 28, 2024 said the imposition of the curfew was as a result of recent disturbances that resulted in the loss of numerous lives in Bawku and its environs, with looming threat of escalation beyond Bawku.

The release noted that “the return to Bawku, on 24th October 2024, of Mr. Seidu Abagre, who was illegally enskinned as Bawku Naba in February 2023, subsequent to the vacation by the Court of Appeal, sitting in Kumasi of the warrant for the arrest, has led to significant disturbances affecting public peace and security in the area”.

The statement assured that the government is committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of the people of Bawku and its environs.
As such security agencies have been directed to enforce strictly the curfew and maintain law and order.
Read below the full release:

Ghanamps.com

Speaker  of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Parliament  Rt. Hon Vital Kamerhe said Members of Parliament on the African continent have key roles to play in conflict resolution and can add to the peace process with their knowledge as local actors.

According to him as a board member of the Association of Parliamentaire de la Francophonie they are committed to support all democratic programmes leading to normal elections if this was not the case and in all African countries, face with conflict.

Addressing the 2nd General Assembly of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislators (CosPAL) in Accra Ghana, he said “we should establish dialogue for us to have unity restored. The Francophonie Assembly in the previous years has had a meeting and unique parliamentary dialogue between the parliament of Rwanda and Congo. This resulted in a resolution last year, adding that a high level mission will be sent to the various regional capitals under the leadership of the Speaker of Ivory Coast”.

In other to resolve this conflict and give support to the president of Angola, a country currently facing serious humanitarian disaster, high death toll, and massive displacement of people where other neighbors are indifferent, same with the world; “Africans must love Africans”, he admonished

Again, he said there should be a cease fire on African soil; the guns must go silent and wiliness to embrace a common objective. “We need to write our own history, and cooperate among ourselves as equals”.

“If this conflict that has lasted for too long is still ongoing and we have the effect beyond the borders of the countries that are involved, then we all have challenges”.

He noted that it is undeniable fact that the Great Region is to give support to Africa and end poverty looking at the great natural resources that abounds. And that explains why Francophone Assembly deplores a holistic approach which takes into account the social, cultural, and political aspect as well.

“As a regional win – win cooperation, we are forced to co-exist looking at our geographical location. We have to co-exist because no one can move Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo. It is time to rise as Africans to show our capabilities to resolve our own problem using our own resources.

Looking at the review of the regional system, the suspension of non-elected parliament is not something of order; we need to come to a consensus with the political actors and electoral calendar to restore democracy and give priority to mediation and dialogue” he emphasised.

He called for the success of CoSPAL, stating, however that what becomes of CoSPAL is the collective duty of various Assemblies; and other institutions involved.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

The legal battle over what has now been popularly known as the ‘Gang of four Seats’ in parliament is getting interesting with no immediate end in sight.

The Rt. Hon Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has ordered the return of the writ saved on Parliament by the Supreme Court.

Read below:

Ghanamps.com

Two Members of Parliament from the governing New Patriotic Party, Kwadwo Asante, and Cynthia Morrison have both denied they have rescinded their quest to contest as independent candidates in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Speculations were rife on social media since yesterday after the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin adjourned the House sine die that the two representing Suhum and Agona West Constituencies respectively, and happened to be among the four seats declared vacant by the Speaker for filing to contest as independent candidates have decided to reconcile with their mother party thereby withdrawing their candidature as going independent.

Speaking on Onua TV Maakye programme with Captain Smart, the Suhum MP, Kwadwo Asante, denied ever taking such a decision; and instead affirmed that he is still in the race.

He revealed that “Annor Dompreh removed me from the Majority Caucus WhatsApp platform because I was going independent.

Immediately the Speaker of Parliament gave the ruling, the same Annor Dompreh quickly added me when the Supreme Court ruled on the stay application. Annor Dompreh thinks he is smart. When he added me back to the WhatsApp platform, I decided not to speak until I saw the fake news that I have decided not to go independent again. It is not true. I am the independent candidate in Suhum”.

Cynthia Morrison also denied on TV3 Evening news that such decision had been taken, adding she is still in the race.

The NPP needs superior numbers in parliament to avert the stalemate that currently characterized the legislature as they have been pushed into the Minority having lost three members to the Speaker’s ruling.

Ghanamps.com

The National Democratic Congress caucus in parliament has expressed satisfaction with the Speaker Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin’s handling of the stalemate in parliament over the shift in power.

The Speaker on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 adjourned the House indefinitely citing the current circumstances; the fact that there is a question on the composition and constitution of parliament, and having regard for the public interest, and the exigencies of the state of affairs in parliament.

Dr. Ato Forson, the new Majority Leader hailed the Speaker for his decision, adding that parliament can reconvene after the election in December to pass the estimate in advance of appropriation before the first of January.

Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda who affirmed the position of the their leader said the Rt. Hon. Speaker, being a statesman and a matured seasoned politician, and one of the senior citizens of the land, couldn’t have done any better to salvage the situation.

According to him, the Speaker called the two sides earlier and informed them that having received the ruling from the Supreme Court and the public support each side was getting, he foresaw chaos and doesn’t want that to happen, and would thus adjourn the House indefinitely.

Mr Ahmed Ibrahim said the break would allow for the two sides to engage various stakeholders to ensure they reach an agreement that would avert any further confusion in the House.

Ghanamps.com

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Bagbin has adjourned the House sine die.

The Speaker, who presided over a one sided National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of parliament seated at the Majority side of the House acknowledged receipt of the Supreme Court ruling, but did not however, specify whether he was adhering to it or not.

Thus, the dilemma of which side is in the Majority and vice versa still lingers on.
What he was however emphatic about was the fact that the House has the numbers to transact business but not enough to take decisions.

According to him, having consulted the leadership of the two sides, he has taken the decision to adjourn the House sine die in the interest of the country.

“In view of the current circumstances, the fact that there is a question on the composition and constitution of parliament, and having regard for the public interest, and the exigencies of the state of affairs in parliament, I will proceed to in accordance with standing orders 59 adjourn the house indefinitely, that is sine die”, he stated.

It is worth of note that the New Patriotic Party Members of Parliament had vacated the House prior to the commencement of proceedings.

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 New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus in Parliament has said the Speaker Rt. Hon Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin’s ruling is dangerous and unprecedented threatening the very foundation of the nation’s constitutional democracy.

In a statement, they pointed out that, the ruling attempts to unconstitutionally reconfigure the composition of Parliament, potentially shifting the balance of power of the House through, extra-legal means.

Whiles the ruling affects members from both sides of the aisle; it disproportionately impacts the Majority, raising serious questions about its impartiality and motivations.

The statement further pointed out that, the speaker’s action constitutes a clear usurpation of powers vested in the Supreme Court of Ghana under article 2(1) and 130 of the 1992 constitution.

As the provision explicitly empower the Supreme Court with the authority to interpret and enforce constitutional matters and the speakers action contravene Article 99 (1) of the constitution, which vests the High court with jurisdiction to determine questions of parliamentary membership validity.

By pre-emptively ruling on the issue, the Speaker has egregiously undermined the separation of powers that is fundamental to Ghana’s democracy.

The statement also described as troubling the fact that the Speaker proceeded with the ruling despite being fully aware that the matter of the meaning and effect of Article 94 (1) (g) was pending before the Supreme Court.

Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com

In a rather unexpected turn of events, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority in parliament has become the Majority with barely two months to the 2024 general elections.

This is due to the declaration of four (4) parliamentary seats vacant by the Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Bagbin on Thursday, October 17, 2024 in a ruling of a petition brought before him by Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Member of Parliament for Tamale South following some four MPs filing nominations to contest the upcoming elections on different tickets other than the one that brought them to parliament.

With the NDC having lost only one of their members in the vacant seat declaration and the NPP losing three members, the NDC Minority now has the Numerical advantage of 136 from their initial 137 as against NPP’s 135 from the initial 138 members.

More so, the NDC would again have the opportunity to elect the second Deputy Speaker; a position that has also become vacant since the occupant of the position, Hon. Andrew Asiamah Amoako, MP for Fomena Constituency, Ashanti Region (Independent) has been a victim of the vacant seat declaration.

Meanwhile, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Majority has described the ruling as an unconstitutional conduct by the Speaker and are waiting for the Supreme Court ruling, hoping to regain their Majority status in the House.

Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com