Reject Parliament recall request - Dr Forson urges Speaker

The Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, has urged the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, to reject the request by the Majority Leader to recall the House to consider outstanding government business ahead of the December 7 polls.

He said Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin had not demonstrated that there was any emergency or urgent government business to warrant a recall of Parliament, with barely 11  days to the 2024 general election.

“The recall that is being requested by the petitioner is ill-timed and will constitute a needless drain on the Ghanaian taxpayer,” Dr Forson said. 

Memo

In a memo dated November 25, 2024, addressed to the Speaker, Dr Forson said: “We, therefore, respectfully urge you to reject this call in the national interest.”

“Again, with barely 11 days to the elections, a recall of the House at this time will only fuel the unresolved stalemate that has prevailed in recent times.

“We must avoid anything that has the potential to disturb the peace of our country and stability of our democracy,” he cautioned.

“Rather, let us prioritise the conduct of credible, peaceful, free and fair elections at this stage. I, therefore, suggest a leadership meeting after the elections to resolve the stalemate and to agree on a suitable date to recall the House to consider any outstanding government business,” he said. 

Request for recall

The Minority Leader said the NDC Minority Caucus had taken notice of a request to the Speaker, praying him to recall Parliament to consider so-called outstanding public business.

He said the petitioner had not satisfied the threshold and requirement under Article 112 (3) of the Constitution and Order 53(1) of the Standing Orders, which required signatures of 15 per cent of Members of Parliament to trigger a recall of Parliament.

He said the petitioner's request was premised on an appeal to the Speaker to exercise his discretion to recall Parliament to consider what he termed as “high priority” government business.

“Mr Speaker, we wish to submit that based on the petitioner’s own request, you are not obliged to recall Parliament.

“Further, the petitioner has not demonstrated that there is any emergency nor urgent government business to warrant a recall of Parliament, with barely 11 days to the crucial 2024 general election,” he said.

Destiny-defining election

Having had a distinguished parliamentary career spanning over three decades, he said he knew that the Speaker was very familiar with the demands and rigours of parliamentary elections. 
Presently, he said MPs from both sides were in their constituencies having critical engagement with the electorate ahead of the December 7 elections.

“This election is not only a destiny-defining election for Ghana, but a career-defining one for many Members of Parliament,” he said.

Dr Forson further described the proposed dates for the recall on November 28 and 29, 2024 as “ill-fated and ill-timed”.

“Should this request be granted, not only will Members of Parliament be required to truncate their important engagements with the electorate, but members will have to contend with logistical and other challenges to commute over long distances, difficult and hard-to-reach constituencies to Accra.

“Mr Speaker, this proposed two-day sitting, if acceded to, will mean that members will have less than one week to conclude their campaigns, train their polling agents and make key logistical and other election-day arrangements,” he said.

“This would disadvantage many Members of Parliament, and such a situation is most unfair,” Dr Forson insisted. 

Abuse of process

The Minority recalled that it was the fourth time in 2024 alone that the NPP parliamentary caucus was requesting an urgent recall of Parliament.

He said at each of the previous urgent meetings, many of the businesses listed in the instant petition were stated as so-called urgent government business, but in the end, they were abandoned.

He stressed that during a similar recall as recent as Thursday, November 7, 2024, the NPP parliamentary caucus, which requested the recall, abandoned the parliamentary chamber and failed to show up to transact government business. “It is on record that the NPP parliamentary caucus failed to mobilise up to 30 members of Parliament on their side to transact business on the floor.

“This was the reason why they failed to show up in the chamber; in the end, Mr Speaker was compelled to adjourn the House indefinitely,” he stated.

No urgent business

In view of the foregoing, he said it was their considered position that there was no urgent government business currently before the House to warrant an urgent recall.

He pointed out that the current Parliament would continue until the midnight of January 6, 2025.

“Parliament can therefore reconvene immediately after the December 7 general election to undertake the businesses that have been outlined.

“In less than two weeks, Ghanaians will be going to the polls to elect a President and members of Parliament,” he said.

He added: “Both the electorate and those running for office must be accorded these few remaining days to engage meaningfully so that the people of Ghana can make an informed choice.”