Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has urged Speaker of Parliament Alban S.K Bagbin to dismiss a request by Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to recall the House.
Dr. Forson emphasized that this marks the fourth instance in 2024 alone where the NPP parliamentary caucus has sought an urgent recall of Parliament.
He criticized these requests, noting that during each recalled session, many of the so-called “urgent” government business items were ultimately left unaddressed.
The House had been adjourned indefinitely on November 7 after Speaker Bagbin suspended proceedings due to the Business Committee’s failure to present a prepared agenda. Despite this, Majority Leader Afenyo-Markin has urged the Speaker to invoke his constitutional authority under Standing Orders 57(3) and 58(4) to reconvene Parliament for outstanding matters.
In a strongly worded memo to the Speaker, Ato Forson countered that Afenyo-Markin’s appeal does not constitute sufficient grounds for a recall.
“With just eleven days left to the pivotal 2024 General Election, there is no justification to recall Parliament under the circumstances outlined,” the Minority leader asserted.
He argued that the request is based on discretionary considerations to address “high priority” government business but lacks evidence of an emergency or urgent necessity.
