Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has told the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) that it does not have the power it thinks it has in the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic.
He explains the current composition of Parliament is split and does not give rise to a majority-minority situation as has always been the case in the past. He said the situation as it is now was not the calculated creation of any particular party or individual but Ghanaians.
“The 137-137, it was the people who decided. There was no system or formula put in place; the people just voted. One of the persons who made them the majority, they didn’t want him, so he stood as independent and beat the government candidate.”
“He is now the second deputy speaker, so actually, there is no majority. But, if not because of my impartiality, anytime they want to vote, I step aside, and one of them will come and sit down, and they are 137-137. So, they don’t have the power they think they have; they don’t have it at all,” Mr. Bagbin said.
According to him, even with an equal number of seats for the NDC and the NPP, the governing NPP is still disadvantaged in Parliament because some of their NPPs are ministers who often fail to attend parliamentary sittings.
He said the President is making attempts to get him [the Speaker] to help such MPs who double as ministers to be able to attend meetings.
His comments appear to contradict a declaration he made on the floor of parliament on January 15, 2021, to the effect that the NPP Caucus and the Independent Fomena MP who had pledged support for the NPP, were the majority group of the House.
That was after Mr. Bagbin had read the official letter from the Fomena Independent MP, Andrew Asiamah Amoako declaring to do business, associate, and collaborate with the NPP side in the 8th Parliament.