The Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South, George Ricketts-Hagan, has attributed delays in approving the mini-budget to the unique dynamics of Ghana’s 8th Parliament, which features an equal number of lawmakers from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Ricketts-Hagan noted that this structure, commonly referred to as a hung Parliament, has created a challenging environment for decision-making and highlighted significant gaps in Ghana’s constitutional framework.
Reflecting on the 8th Parliament, whose tenure ends at midnight on January 6, 2024, he described it as an unprecedented and remarkable chapter in Ghana’s political history.
The equal representation of the two major parties often led to gridlock and increased partisanship, making it difficult to conduct parliamentary business smoothly. Ricketts-Hagan further emphasized that the hung Parliament has exposed constitutional shortcomings, as Ghana’s legal framework does not sufficiently address the complexities of an evenly split legislature.