The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has adjourned Parliament indefinitely.
This is due to the lack of quorum to conduct government business as a result of a boycott by the NPP members of the House.
The decision follows the majority and minority conundrum in the House where both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) are claiming majority status.
The confusion follows a ruling by the Speaker of Parliament Thursday, October 17, 2024, where some four seats were declared vacant. The declaration, subsequently reduced the membership of the governing NPP, who were then Majority to 135, with the opposition NDC, who were the Minority, remaining with 136 members to assume the Majority position.
Leader of the NPP caucus, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, filed an ex parte motion in the Supreme Court, where it ruled to stay with the ruling of the Speaker.
This, has created a confusion since, with both caucuses claiming to be the majority side of the House.
With the House resuming sitting today, Tuesday, October 22, 2024, tensions were high, especially with the same 8th Parliament already engaging in two fisticuffs already.
There were presence of both military and police at the premises, with the NDC MPs occupying the majority side of the House.
The NPP members on the other hand who refused to accept to be minority refused entrance to the chamber making the House lack quorum for sitting.
Vacant seats controversy: ‘Speaker is right, Supreme Court is more right’ – Amoako Baah
