Parliament has defended the suspension of proceedings instead of an indefinite adjournment by the speaker of parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye, though the Minority disagrees.
In a statement, Parliament has cited the circumstances around the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic as justification for the Speaker’s action but Minority in Parliament has strongly spoken against that.
“What the Speaker did was in recognition of the fact that the whole nation is in a general state of emergency and so it is important that the House acts in a manner that will bring utmost benefit to the welfare of the nation.”
“This point becomes even more poignant as a result of the fact that not being in normal times, the House could be recalled at any time. It is, therefore, necessary, that the House holds itself in readiness for any eventuality,” the statement added
Parliament also cited Standing Order 6 which gives the Speaker room to “make provisions as he deems fit” when there is no explicit direction.
“At the moment, there are no express provisions for the indefinite suspension, nor the adjournment of the House at the end of a Meeting. It is therefore imperative that the Speaker provides the needed direction,” Parliament noted.
It further insisted that the indefinite suspension of the House by the Speaker does not amount to discontinuing the session without dissolving it.
“Indeed the Speaker of Parliament is not vested with the power to prorogue Parliament as per Article 113(1) of the Constitution and if any Speaker did that, it will be null and void. In Parliament, the maxim is that Members agree to disagree and arguments in the House could sometimes be not only vociferous but also forceful.”
The statement from Parliament concluded by saying it “is in communication to resolve the issues for the benefit of the country which remains paramount.”
Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has threatened to drag the Speaker to the Supreme Court over his decision to suspend the House indefinitely.
According to the Minority, the Speaker was supposed to adjourn the House. They described the act as illegal.
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The also stated that the Speaker left with the mace of the House instead of leaving it behind as the law prescribed.
Speaking to the Media, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said they are considering legal action against the Speaker.
“Professor Mike Oquaye, I’m sorry, has become walking illegality and a threat to parliamentary democracy in Ghana. We will consider measuring and questioning his conduct by the standing orders and by the Superior Court of Ghana, we will let our lawyers study it carefully especially you’ve seen him, the Speaker carry the mace behind him when the House was suspended, I’m sure we should have stopped him to tell him that the mace during suspension remains there…”
