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Minority Leader Dr. Ato Forson has said the incoming government led by former President John Dramani Mahama will not behave like the Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia led government but would be sensitive to the needs of Ghanaians.

He thanked Ghanaians for the confidence reposed in the opposition National Democratic Congress.

“They have shown that they can rise to the occasion when it is needed most, and I congratulate the NDC MPs for their dedication which has resulted in the unprecedented number of MPs”.

“We were able to snatch over fifty parliamentary seats from the ruling party; we have shown that it is possible to reduce the NPP Majority to ‘nkoko nkete nkete’; indeed ‘nkoko nkete nkete’ is possible”.

Again, our Majority would be a contest of ideas between the NDC supper majority and the mini micro NPP Minority. It was the people’s revolution against the government that is obsolete and insensitive.

Ghanaians have shown that they cannot be taken for granted and when it matters most they will boot out those in office. NPP has been booted out for its poor governance and mismanagement of the economy, arrogance of power and impunity.

It shows the political class should not take the people for granted and calls for reflection on the part of the political parties, he added.

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The Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has expressed confidence in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) ability to stage a comeback in the 2028 general elections.

According to him NPP will rebuild and strengthen its position as a credible opposition. In his open remarks when parliament reconvened on Monday, December 16, 2024, he said the people of Ghana have spoken and given the NDC the mandate. “Our role in opposition is clear: to hold them accountable. “This victory is not eternal, and we expect them to govern with humility while we prepare for the next election.”

Mr. Afenyo-Markin highlighted the party’s determination to learn from its shortcomings, unite its ranks, and regain public trust. “We are optimistic that by 2028, Ghanaians will see the NPP as the better alternative. We’ll evaluate our errors, make necessary corrections, and come back stronger.”

He also pledged responsible opposition, emphasizing constructive engagement over chaos. “As a principled minority, we’ll focus on issue-based debates and demonstrate our credibility as a government-in-waiting,” he added.

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The Deputy Interior Minister and Gomoa Central (MP), Naana Eyiah Quansah, has dismissed social media rumours claiming she collapsed and was hospitalised after losing her seat in the recently concluded elections.

Speaking at a press conference, Naana Eyiah Quansah urged the public and the people of Gomoa Central to disregard the false information being circulated online.

The outgoing MP, who lost her seat to an independent candidate, expressed gratitude to the people of Gomoa Central for allowing her to serve in Parliament for two terms.

She also called on Ghanaians to maintain confidence in the New Patriotic Party (NPP), emphasising that it remains the only political party with policies designed to benefit the ordinary Ghanaian.

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Member of Parliament for Dome/Kwabenya Sarah Adwoa Safo said she gave the NPP Parliamentary candidate in the 2024 election Mike Oquaye Jr. the opportunity to lead hence her absence during the campaign period in Dome/Kwabenya.

The lawmaker was seen most of the time with the NPP flagbearer Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia during his tour.

In an interview following the resumption of Parliament on December 16, 2024 Adwoa Safo, the former Minister for Gender, Women and Social Protection, emphasized that her decision was to allow the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate Mike Ocquaye Junior the space to run his campaign.

Reflecting on her loss in the NPP primaries on January 27, Adwoa Safo clarified that she had already committed to supporting the national campaign of NPP flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

“After losing the primaries, I made it clear that I would focus on the national campaign. My influence and support remain strong, but I wanted to give my opponent the freedom to campaign without interference,” she stated.

Despite Oquaye Junior’s confidence in taking over the Dome-Kwabenya seat, the NPP lost the seat to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Faustina Elikplim Akurugu of the NDC won with 51,634 votes, narrowly defeating Ocquaye Junior, who secured 50,477 votes. However, Ocquaye has disputed the results, claiming the declaration was invalid.

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The First Deputy Speaker of the eighth Parliament of the Republic of Ghana Joseph Osei Owusu has admonished the media in Ghana to desist from creating needless controversies in Ghana.

According to him the Supreme Court has already ruled that the four persons in the eighth parliament, whose seats were declared vacant at a point, would have their tenure terminated in the next few weeks, hence parliament is no more confronted with that issue.

He was responding to the media prior to Monday, December 16, 2024 sitting when journalist wanted an idea of how far both sides have gone to resolve the controversy about which side is in the Majority and Minority.

The Majority Leader led by Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin and his colleagues occupies the right hand side of the Speaker with the Minority at the left side of the Speaker, he said.

“And if anyone insists that those four persons are no longer Members of Parliament let that person be bold about it, Cynthia Morrison is an MP so we are going to seat where we were since 2021 till date”.

On the issue of expectations on MPs attending to the House, he noted that some have lost elections, “you do not expect everybody to be here. Those who lost are demoralized; Parliament will not have full complement of the House”, he stated.

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Parliament will reconvene today, Monday, December 16, 2024 after the Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin’s failed request to have parliament reconvened ahead of the Saturday, December 7, 2024 general elections.

Pursuant to order 58 of the Standing Orders of Parliament of Ghana, the Speaker Rt. Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin gave notice that the seventh meeting of the fourth Session of the eighth parliament of the fourth Republic shall commence on Monday, the 16th of December 2024.

The Speaker’s rejection of recalling parliament earlier was simply that given the closeness of the elections barely 11 days, recalling members of Parliament would interrupt with their campaigns and that would not serve national interest.

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As announced by the Parliamentary board through the Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin earlier that due to breaks in the wiring of the chamber and the need to reconfigure the chamber, the grand arena of the Accra International Conference center has to be used for the meeting place of the House.

The seventh meeting of the fourth session of the eighth Parliament is currently underway at the grand arena with the main focus to prepare three months budget, for the smooth running of government before the new administration headed by the former president and now president-elect John Dramani Mahama takes over from the current New Patriotic Party led by Nana Akufo-Addo.

A visit by Ghanamps.com to the chamber block on Tuesday, December 16, 2024 witnessed very progressive work done to welcome the 9th Parliament with 276 members of Parliament.

The camber has been nicely painted, cables well laid awaiting fixing of microphones and chairs, which should be concluded by close of this week.

Workers were seen in the chamber working hard to finish up what is expected of them this week.

Meanwhile, a parliamentary museum has been completed adjacent the parliamentary press gallery and awaiting commissioning by the speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin.

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Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin has given indications the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will follow due process to retrieve all of their seats worn in the December 7, 2024 elections but forcefully taken by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

According to him with due process, Fanteakwa North and Akwatia has been declared in the favour of the NPP.

And believe Suhum, Nsawam Adoagyiri, Ablekumah North, Tema Central and Okainkoie Central are theirs as they will wait patiently for the re-run of collation process to be completed, he said in an interview.

“We know we are Minority come 2025. This is not the first time NPP is going into Minority; in 1997 we only had 61 seats NDC had 100 but we still discharged our duties to the people of Ghana and our people gave us the mandate in the 2000 elections so we are going to win 2028”.

Ghanaians will know that despite we lost the presidential bid and in Minority we will not allow our colleagues to forcefully take our seats from us. We call on President Mahama and all the NDC senior Executives to call their men to order, let us allow the peaceful process to continue, he stated.

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Member of Parliament elect for Ho West Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah has thanked his constituents for returning him back to the 9th Parliament which starts on Tuesday, December 7, 2024 which is his fifth term.

According to him he was given close to eighty-four percent (84%) votes, saying it shows that his people love him and he is not taking it for granted, rather he is humbled.

In an interview in Parliament on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, he noted that Saturday, December 7, 2024 election is a verdict on the current administration’s performance in the sense that they have not done well at all; adding that in everything one does, “you take stock and you are given a verdict. The bible says a time is coming we will give account of the things we have done either good or bad”.
“If a Parliament of 276 and all you can do is getting less than one third of the MPs, it shows you have been rejected”.

When asked why it appears as though Ghanaian politicians do not learn from the mistake of others because in 2016 the mistakes of the NDC were the same mistakes committed by the NPP in 2024, he said “we are from the same breed, every politician; it is assumed that we are from the same mother. It is for us to learn, I have tasted power when I came to this House 2009. I have seen power twice and also endured opposition for two terms and I have seen a change of power again to my party, it is for us to learn from these mistakes”.

Again, the arrogance of power came to play and NPP should eat their own humble pie, wherever we have gone wrong we should let the people know that; it is the only way Ghanaians will forgive us.

And the promises we give we should be able to fulfill them, the major one being the 24hour economy. It is my expectation that this verdict given, we learn not to commit the same mistakes, even as we lose power in 2016 it did not go this way, he added.

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A visit by Ghanamps.com to the chamber of Ghana’s Parliament, on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, witnessed workers finishing up work in the chamber, the laying of cables has been completed with work on the carpet ongoing.

Per investigation done by Ghanamps.com work will progress through the night to ensure early completion for Monday’s sitting.

Minority chief whip Governs Kwame Agbodza on his part indicated that he cannot tell whether the chamber or Dome will be used, as it is too early to tell but more would be known by the close of the week.

Rt. Hon Speaker Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin gave indication earlier that pursuant to Order 58 of the standing Orders of Ghana’s Parliament, the House would reconvene on Monday, December 16, 2024.

“The seventh meeting of the fourth session of the eighth Parliament of the fourth Republic shall commence on Monday, December 16, 2024”, a statement from the Speaker indicated.

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