Parliament Reconvenes Today Amid 4 Vacant Seats Brouhaha

Ghana’s Parliament is set to reconvene today, November 7, following a formal announcement from Speaker Alban Bagbin. This recall, announced to Members of Parliament (MPs) on October 31, will see parliamentary proceedings resume at 10 a.m. at the Accra International Conference Centre. This temporary relocation comes as the Parliament House undergoes renovations.

Speaker Bagbin’s decision to summon Parliament is in line with Article 112 (3) of Ghana’s Constitution and Standing Orders 5 and 53, which empower him to call a parliamentary session when deemed necessary for the public interest. Although no specific agenda has been shared, it is expected that MPs will deliberate on pressing national issues, especially following the adjournment on October 22 due to a heated dispute between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the majority status in Parliament.

This unresolved contention about which caucus holds the majority has persisted, adding tension between the two parties. Recently, the Supreme Court rejected an application from Speaker Bagbin to stay its previous ruling, underscoring that the Speaker does not have the authority to assign seating arrangements in the parliamentary chamber.

With this backdrop, today’s session could see renewed disagreements over seating, especially with the unresolved issue of majority status still in play. The anticipated session may reveal further developments in Ghana’s political landscape as MPs take their seats to address the nation’s urgent matters.

Source: GhanaFeed.Com