The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has rejected the assertion made by the Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, that Ghana is currently facing a constitutional crisis due to the “Parliament of Ghana not sitting.”

In a press briefing held in Accra on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, Bagbin stated that there is no constitutional crisis in the country, emphasizing that Parliament is functioning properly.

He explained that his decision to adjourn Parliament sine die was made to allow the leadership of Parliament to resolve the impasse surrounding the vacant seats.

“There is no constitutional crisis. For over 32 years as a politician and over 42 years as a public servant, I have cherished the role Parliament plays in our democracy, and my mission is to leave Parliament a stronger institution than we found it,” he said.

“Parliament is alive and working. It has not been dissolved or prorogued. The plenary sittings and meetings were adjourned indefinitely due to a lack of quorum caused by a walkout staged by the NPP members who were absent due to a disagreement,” Bagbin explained.

He further added, “The cause of the disagreement, which led to a disorder, had to be resolved with time. This required engagement with many more leaders than those present in Parliament. The adjournment was done by the lawful authority, the Speaker of Parliament.”

What the Chief Justice said:

Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo had previously described the parliamentary dispute over four vacant seats declared by the Speaker as a constitutional crisis, requiring urgent resolution.

During court proceedings on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, she expressed concern about the delay in the judicial process relating to the issue, urging the Speaker’s lawyer, Thaddeus Sory, to take swift action.

She questioned Sory about why the necessary documents had not been submitted for Speaker Alban Bagbin by the stipulated deadline of October 30, 2024.

“This is a constitutional crisis; we’re living in a country where Parliament is not sitting. What is going on?” she queried.

The Chief Justice also instructed Sory to ensure that the required documents were filed by the end of business on Thursday, October 31, 2024.

BAI/OGB

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