Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has officially announced that the 7th meeting of the 4th session of the 8th Parliament will commence on Monday, December 16, 2024. The notice, issued on December 2 and signed by the Speaker, did not specify the venue, stating that the location would be disclosed to Members of Parliament (MPs) in due course.
This resumption follows the conclusion of Ghana’s general elections on December 7, during which new MPs for both the Majority and Minority sides were elected. Speaker Bagbin invoked Order 58 of the standing orders of Parliament in his communication, emphasizing adherence to parliamentary procedures.
“Pursuant to Order 58 of the standing orders of the Parliament of Ghana, I Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, hereby give notice that the seventh meeting of the fourth session of the eighth parliament of the Fourth Republic shall commence on Monday, the 16th day of December 2024 at ten o’clock in the forenoon at a place to be appointed by the Speaker in due course,” the statement read.
This development comes after Speaker Bagbin declined a request from Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to reconvene Parliament on November 28 and 29 to address pressing issues. Bagbin maintained that Parliament would remain adjourned until after the elections, citing the absence of a prepared agenda from the Business Committee as a reason for the earlier suspension of proceedings.
The announcement also follows a contentious Supreme Court ruling on November 12, which overturned Speaker Bagbin’s earlier decision to declare four parliamentary seats vacant. The ruling, initiated by a challenge from Afenyo-Markin, clarified that parliamentary seats could only be declared vacant if an MP switches political parties while retaining their position.
The Court’s majority decision emphasized that such declarations could not take effect during the current parliamentary term. However, the ruling was not without dissent. Two justices argued that the Supreme Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case, highlighting divisions over the Court’s authority in parliamentary matters.
The December 16 reconvening marks a significant moment for Parliament as newly elected MPs take their seats, and the legislature resumes operations after a politically charged period. The outcomes of the elections, coupled with the implications of the Supreme Court ruling, are expected to shape parliamentary deliberations in the months ahead.
This meeting will also set the tone for Ghana’s legislative agenda heading into 2025, as the country navigates the transition from one political cycle to the next.
