Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has criticised the Majority in Parliament for acting in bad faith by recalling the House from its break.
This follows a request by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs to consider several urgent matters, including the approval of loans and taxes.
The recall was initiated by the Majority Leader, Afenyo Markin, who invoked Article 112(3) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 53(2) of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
In his address to the House upon its recall, Speaker Bagbin expressed his disappointment, stating that many of the items listed were not urgent.
“…Despite the efforts of the house, some businesses could not be completed and I indicated to the house my no objection to the house being recalled to mid-September under article 1123. To exercise this option immediately a day after this adjournment is, to say the least, unfortunate and in bad faith,” he said.
However, Mr Bagbin acknowledged that, by law, once Article 112(3) is triggered, he is obligated to summon Parliament.
Article 112(3) of the Constitution states: “Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, fifteen percent of Members of Parliament may request a meeting of Parliament, and the Speaker shall, within seven days, after the receipt of the request, summon Parliament.”
The Speaker also raised concerns about the frequent use of Article 112(3) within a section of Parliament, emphasizing that while the provisions are clear, there needs to be a broader consideration of the context in which they operate.
He suggested that Parliament should legislate to establish preconditions under which this article could be applied.
He cautioned against turning Article 112(3) into a tool to keep Parliament in continuous session, which could prevent MPs from performing other constitutional functions.
A frequent revocation of Article 1123 particularly in a house such as this 8th parliament could pose challenges to the governance of the country. The good intentions of the drafters of the constitution could be turned into a horror movie,” he warned.
Source: Kwaku Asante & Emma Ankrah
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