Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin indefinitely adjourned the House on Thursday, November 7, following the absence of Members of Parliament (MPs) from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Speaker Bagbin noted that without the NPP MPs, the House lacked the quorum needed for decision-making. He further explained that no business was scheduled on the Order Paper, which prevented any legislative activity.
The absence of NPP MPs disrupted the planned emergency sitting, which had been called to address pressing national matters.
Expressing disappointment, Speaker Bagbin stated, “Matters they wanted us to handle, which I accepted from the business committee, are not on the Order Paper, and indeed, there is no Order Paper because the committee couldn’t meet due to the absence of those who requested the recall.”
He continued, “One side of the House is completely empty. Although we have a quorum to sit, without business before us, we cannot transact. Since the business committee could not convene, I must once again adjourn the meeting indefinitely.”
Following the adjournment, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Caucus, criticized the NPP MPs, accusing them of causing financial loss to the state.
He argued that public funds were used to recall Parliament, only for the NPP MPs to abstain, resulting in a waste of taxpayer money and missed legislative opportunities.
Dr. Forson called on the NPP MPs to act responsibly, stressing that their absence not only stalled parliamentary work but also undermined public trust in the institution.
He urged Parliament to consider measures to prevent such occurrences, underscoring the need for accountability and commitment among all MPs in serving the nation.
