Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has emphasized the NPP’s commitment to ensuring Parliament resumes its rightful business, despite the ongoing tensions with the Speaker.
He stated that NPP MPs would not allow the Speaker to dictate proceedings, as he is not a member of Parliament.
During a press conference on Thursday, November 7, Afenyo-Markin made it clear that while the Speaker presides over Parliament, it is ultimately the MPs who determine the agenda and business of the legislature. He affirmed that the NPP would push for Parliament to be reconvened, asserting that they would compel the Speaker to comply with their agenda and allow proper government business to be transacted.
This statement comes amid the ongoing dispute between the NPP and the Speaker over seating arrangements following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the status of four parliamentary seats. He said NPP MPs expected the Speaker to comply with the court’s decision, which instructed NDC MPs to sit on the opposition side of Parliament. However, the Speaker has been accused of ignoring the ruling, contributing to the suspension of parliamentary activities.
Afenyo-Markin’s comments reflect the heightened tensions in Parliament, as the NPP seeks to assert its authority and ensure the proper functioning of the legislature in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directives. The NPP has made it clear that they will not back down in their efforts to resume parliamentary business and hold the Speaker accountable for any delays or disruptions caused.