In a strong statement on Thursday, November 7, 2024, Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin accused members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of deliberately obstructing the passage of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) Bill.
He claimed that the opposition party, in collaboration with Speaker Alban Bagbin, is working to prevent the Bill’s approval, which he described as their primary target.
At a press conference in Parliament, Afenyo-Markin criticized the NDC for their conduct during parliamentary proceedings, saying that their actions are clearly aimed at blocking critical government initiatives, with the Free SHS Bill being at the forefront. He asserted, “They are conspiring with Mr. Speaker to get the Free SHS Bill not passed. Their main target is the Free SHS Bill.”
Furthermore, Afenyo-Markin accused the NDC of engaging in lawlessness by occupying the Majority side of the parliamentary chamber during the session on November 7, 2024, an action he claimed was supported and supervised by Speaker Alban Bagbin.
He said that the Speaker’s actions amounted to allowing chaos to reign in the House, warning that such behavior could undermine the democratic process and harm the functioning of Parliament.
Afenyo-Markin also expressed frustration with Speaker Bagbin’s leadership, suggesting that the Speaker’s actions were damaging to the country.
He added that despite the NDC’s disapproval of his election, it was members of the NPP who had voted Bagbin into office, and therefore, they expected him to act impartially and responsibly.
“The Speaker is setting the country on fire, and we are disappointed with his lack of reconciliation in handling this matter,” Afenyo-Markin said.
He also criticized Bagbin for not adhering to the constitution, questioning how the Speaker could claim to respect the constitution yet fail to abide by its directives in handling parliamentary affairs.
The situation in Parliament escalated when Speaker Alban Bagbin announced the indefinite adjournment of the House for the second time, after the NPP MPs failed to show up for the reconvened session.
Bagbin explained that there was no quorum, as the NPP MPs were absent, preventing Parliament from conducting its scheduled business.
“We have no business before us to transact. In view of the failure of the business committee to sit due to the refusal of those who requested the recall, I proceed once again to adjourn the meeting indefinitely,” Bagbin said, highlighting that the failure of the NPP to present a business order had left Parliament with no pressing matters to deliberate upon.
This adjournment followed an earlier request by the NPP Caucus for an emergency recall of Parliament, after the House had been adjourned on October 22 due to a boycott by NPP MPs, which also led to a lack of quorum.
The NPP had formally requested that several urgent government bills, including the Free SHS Bill, be prioritized once Parliament was recalled.
Despite Bagbin’s agreement to the NPP’s request, the NPP MPs did not attend the November 7 session, causing further disruptions and leading to the adjournment.
Leader of the NDC caucus in Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, expressed his frustration at the ongoing situation. He explained that although the NDC members showed up at the Business Committee meeting on the morning of November 7, the NPP members did not attend.
Dr. Forson noted that when he attempted to contact the NPP side, no response came, leaving the NDC caucus in the dark about the NPP’s intentions for the day’s proceedings.
“I personally called the Committee clerk and was informed that she was out of the jurisdiction and no one had notified her about the business of the day.
This lack of communication is concerning, and despite reaching out to the NPP side, no MP responded,” Dr. Forson explained.
The adjournment has further strained relations between the NPP and NDC, with both parties accusing each other of obstructing the parliamentary process.
As tensions rise, the Free SHS Bill, which remains a central point of contention, appears to be at the heart of the ongoing political standoff, with both sides now at odds over how to proceed with the country’s educational policies.
With the adjournment, the NPP has reiterated its desire to see the Free SHS Bill passed, while the NDC claims that the government is using the Bill to score political points, especially with the upcoming December 7 elections.
As the political battle intensifies, the question of how Parliament will address the Bill and other critical government issues remains uncertain.
