In an unexpected turn of events, Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Bagbin adjourned today’s parliamentary session indefinitely due to the absence of Members of Parliament (MPs) from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The adjournment followed the failure of the Parliamentary Business Committee to prepare an agenda for the session after key NPP MPs did not attend.
The Speaker who had earlier recalled MPs to convene on November 7, 2024, aimed to address urgent national issues. However, with the absence of the majority caucus, the speaker deemed the session ineffective and expressed his disappointment.
“Matters they wanted us to handle, which I accepted for consideration from the Business Committee, are not on the Order Paper. In fact, there is no Order Paper for today because the committee could not meet due to the absence of those who requested the recall,” Bagbin explained.
Highlighting the empty seats on one side of the House, he noted, “while we have a quorum, no business is before us to transact. Without an approved agenda, no other authority can bring forward unadopted matters for discussion.”
Parliament was initially adjourned on October 22, 2024, after a contentious session between the NPP and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) over which party holds the majority of seats in the house.
Today’s indefinite adjournment is the second to arise from ongoing disputes over parliamentary majority status.
During the announcement, Speaker Bagbin mentioned a message from the Supreme Court instructing him to reverse a previous decision declaring four parliamentary seats vacant.
However, he did not provide further details on the court’s directive, leaving MPs and the public uncertain about the implications.
This indefinite adjournment emphasizes a period of uncertainty and stalled legislative action, as questions surrounding parliamentary leadership and party representation continue to fuel tension within Ghana’s legislative body.
