Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Majority Leader in Ghana’s Parliament, has openly criticized Speaker Alban Bagbin for allegedly mishandling parliamentary affairs by refusing to convene Parliament for an emergency sitting.
Afenyo-Markin accused Bagbin of treating the legislative body like his “personal property” and making unilateral decisions regarding its operations.
In an interview with JoyNews, Afenyo-Markin expressed frustration over what he called the Speaker’s lack of cooperation, particularly on urgent government matters. He lamented that the Speaker had taken it upon himself to determine when Parliament would be opened, even in instances when important issues required immediate attention. “Look at the shutdown happening in Parliament. The Speaker has taken Parliament as his personal property; when it pleases him, he opens Parliament,” Afenyo-Markin stated. “Even when there is an issue that he could sit with us on, he says no.”
Afenyo-Markin’s comments came in the wake of an unresolved parliamentary impasse that had delayed government work, despite court rulings that had already resolved the matter. He criticized the Speaker for not acting on the court’s decision, saying, “We as law-abiding citizens took the matter to court. The court ruled in our favor. They contested and lost. I waited upon him, but he did not act.”
This dispute arose after Afenyo-Markin requested an emergency session of Parliament to address pressing issues before the 2024 general elections. However, Speaker Bagbin refused to recall Parliament for the session, prompting Afenyo-Markin to submit a formal request for Parliament to convene on November 28 and 29 to discuss 22 critical issues.
In his response, Speaker Bagbin explained that while he approved the requested session for later dates, he raised concerns over the timing, particularly given the proximity to the general elections. He emphasized that the electoral campaign period was a crucial time for political engagement, with parties and candidates needing sufficient space to connect with voters and present their manifestos. According to Bagbin, maintaining the balance between parliamentary duties and electoral commitments was essential.
The standoff between the Majority Leader and the Speaker underscores the ongoing tensions within the Ghanaian Parliament, highlighting the complexities of balancing legislative work with the demands of the electoral season.
