A leading executive of the Canadian wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), William Akoto, has voiced his strong dissatisfaction with Speaker Alban Bagbin’s indefinite adjournment of Parliament following the Supreme Court’s stay of execution on Bagbin’s declaration of four vacant parliamentary seats.
Akoto has accused the Speaker of engaging in partisan politics, claiming that Bagbin’s decision to suspend parliamentary business for the second time is part of an effort to orchestrate a political advantage for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the general election.
“It seems the speaker is part of the official NDC campaign team because his behaviour and utterances on this subject matter show he wants to orchestrate a win for the minority before the general election in a democratic Ghana,” Akoto said.
“How do you suddenly flip and fabricate such a political event in parliament?”
The controversy stems from a legal battle over vacant parliamentary seats, with the Supreme Court set to deliver its judgment on Tuesday, November 12, 2024.
On Thursday, November 7, 2024, Bagbin adjourned Parliament indefinitely, citing a lack of business order due to the absence of NPP Members of Parliament (MPs).
The leader of the NPP Caucus in Parliament, Effutu MP, further clarified that the Clerk of Parliament had failed to print the necessary documents for the session, leaving the NPP MPs unable to participate in the proceedings.
Akoto emphasized the importance of Parliament functioning effectively for the people of Ghana.
He compared the situation to a workplace, where a manager is accountable for the lack of cooperation among employees, implying that Bagbin, as Speaker, must take responsibility for the disruption in parliamentary activities.
Although it is unclear when Parliament will reconvene, Akoto expressed hope that ongoing dialogue with the Speaker would help resolve the deadlock and restore order to the legislative process.
