Parliament is set to reconvene today, Monday, December 16, at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Centre.
In a statement issued on December 11, Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin confirmed the venue, saying:
“Pursuant to the notice dated 2nd December 2024 summoning Parliament, I, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, do hereby appoint the Grand Arena, Accra International Conference Centre, as the place of the meeting.”
The recall follows Ghana’s 2024 general elections, which brought a significant shift in parliamentary representation. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) now commands a majority with over 180 seats, while the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has seen its representation drop to less than 80 seats, a sharp decline from the 136 they previously held.
This session comes after Speaker Bagbin declined a request from Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to recall Parliament on November 28 and 29, citing the lack of a prepared agenda from the Business Committee. Bagbin had maintained that parliamentary activities would remain suspended until after the December 7 elections.
In related developments, on November 12, the Supreme Court overturned Speaker Bagbin’s earlier decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant, a move contested by Afenyo-Markin.
The Court ruled that a seat could only be declared vacant if an MP switches political parties while retaining their position in Parliament.
The detailed judgment, released on November 14, saw five justices uphold this view, stating that the Speaker’s decision could not take effect during the current parliamentary term.
However, two dissenting justices argued that the Supreme Court lacked jurisdiction to address the issue, highlighting divisions in judicial interpretation.
Today’s session will mark a critical moment for the newly constituted Parliament, as it prepares to address pressing issues in the wake of Ghana’s elections.
