The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has summoned the House for an emergency meeting on Friday, May 17, 2024.
The summon is in pursuance to Article 112(3) of the 1992 Constitution in response to a petition filed by the Majority Caucus of the House.
On May 3, this year, the caucus filed a petition for an emergency meeting to deal with businesses that were pending before the House prior to recess.
In a summon notice signed by the Speaker on Friday, May 10, Mr Bagbin gave Parliament House, Accra, as the venue of the meeting.
“Pursuant to Article 112(3) of the Constitution of the Republic and Order 53(1) and (2) of the Standing Orders of Parliament l, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, do hereby summon Parliament to sit on Friday, May 17, 2024 at ten o’clock in the forenoon, at Parliament House, Accra,” the notice reads.
The Constitution provides in 112(3) that “notwithstanding any other provision in this article, 15 per cent of Members of Parliament may request a meeting of Parliament; and the Speaker shall, within seven days after the receipt of the request, summon Parliament.”
The Majority at a press conference on Friday, May 3, explained that the emergency recall had become necessary after a memo requesting a recall yielded no result.
“As far back as April 8, 2024, I, on behalf of colleagues sent a memo to the Speaker in which I prayed the Speaker to exercise discretion and recall the House to deal with businesses pending before it but to no avail.
We are left with no option than to invoke our rights under Article 112(3) of the Constitution (for a meeting to deal with the unfinished businesses),” the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin said.
At the time the Speaker adjourned the House sine die on a March 20, there were three businesses programmed for deliberation.
They are the approval or otherwise of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominees, a US$150 million facility for the GARID project and tax waivers for entities under the one district, one factory policy.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
