Speaker recalls Parliament Nov. 7
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has recalled Members of the House to an emergency sitting on Thursday, November 7, 2024.
The recall is pursuant to Article 112 of the 1992 Constitution and Standing Orders 5 and 53, which enjoins the Speaker to summon Parliament if a request is made by at least 15 per cent of all legislators.
Article 112(3) provide that “notwithstanding any other provision of 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.”
Per a notice of summon issued by the Speaker on Thursday, October 31, 2024, the sitting would commence at 10 a.m at the Accra International Conference Centre.
The recall was necessitated by a recall memo signed by 83 Members of the Majority caucus on October 22, 2024 for an emergency sitting; barely 48 hours after the Speaker adjourned the House sine die.
Signed by Alex Tetteh Djornobuah, the Second Majority Whip, the caucus said the recall is in the utmost good faith and in the national interest.
“We wish to emphasize that this recall is made in utmost good faith and in the national interest to enable the Government to discharge its constitutional and democratic obligations to the people of Ghana.
“The matters outlined in here are of pressing importance and require the urgent attention of Parliament,” the recall notice said.
Scheduled businesses for consideration include request for tax exemptions for designated beneficiaries under the one district one factory programme, and a US$250 million International Development Association facility for the Ghana Financial Stability.
Bills, including Environmental Protection Agency Bill, 2024, Social Protection Bill, 2024, Budget Bill, 2023, Ghana Boundary Commission Bill, 2024, and Intestate Succession Bill, 2022 are also up for consideration.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI