Speaker Alban Bagbin
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has summoned Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House for sitting on Friday, May 17, 2024.
The summons for MPs to appear in the House comes after members of the Majority Caucus triggered a process to demand the recall of Parliament after the Speaker adjourned the House sine die on March 20, 2024.
Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, told the media on May 3, 2024 that the caucus members had no choice but to assert their right under Article 112(3) of the Constitution.
Article 112(3) says, “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.”
“We are invoking our right under the law in good faith. As far back as April 8, 2024, I, on behalf of colleagues, sent a memo to Mr. Speaker.
“In that memo, my humble prayer to Mr. Speaker was for him to exercise his discretion under the powers given him under Orders 58 and 59 of the Standing Orders of Parliament,” he stated.
The Majority Leader indicated that unfortunately, his prayer was not successful, leaving them with no option than to invoke their right under the law.
This constitutional imperative has also found space in the new Standing Orders of Parliament, Order 53.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin said, “So we are fortified by law to proceed with our prayer. Therefore, in terms of these, we have initiated the process to trigger this and we do so in good faith and for the good of our democracy.”
Speaker’s Response
In response, the Speaker directed that the House convene on May 17, 2024, citing Article 112(3) of the Republican Constitution and Order 53(1) and (2) of the Standing Orders of Parliament.
The Speaker gave the directive in a summon dated May 10, 2024 and issued by his office.
“Pursuant to Article 112(3) of the Constitution of the Republic and Order 53(1) & (2) of the Standing Orders of Parliament, I, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, do hereby, summon parliament to sit on Friday, May 17, 2024 at ten O’clock in the forenoon, at Parliament House, Accra,” the summon indicated.
By Ernest Kofi Adu