Majority Urges Speaker To Conduct Parliamentary Business Under Dome If Chamber Is Not Available

• The majority in parliament has called on the Speaker, Alban Sumana Bagbin, to use a dome tent to conduct parliamentary business
• This was after the majority leader had urged the Speaker to reconvene parliament for several bills still pending to be processed
• The Speaker had informed him of the lack of space in the Chamber due to renovation works

The majority in parliament has suggested to the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, that if the chamber is not available, a dome be used to conduct parliamentary business.

The suggestion comes in response to the Speaker’s statement that the Chamber is not available for government business.

The Speaker made the revelation after the majority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, urged Bagbin to recall the house to deliberate on urgent government business.

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Alban Bagbin stated that due to the chamber's unavailability, he would first have to secure a suitable location for the parliamentary sitting.

However, he set the reconvening for September 3, 2024, should he be able to secure a good place before that time.

Citinewsroom indicated that the chamber is undergoing renovation work, hence its unavailability.

But responding to the Speaker’s concerns, the Second Deputy Majority Chief Whip, Alex Tetteh Djournobuah, told the media that using a dome was the most practical option.

According to him, while he is not certain when the renovation works in the chamber will commence, he says should it delay and render the chamber unavailable by September 3, the Speaker could have the dome set up for the conduct of parliamentary business.

He said the dome could be temporarily set up in Parliament’s car park to sort government business.

He said parliament had employed a similar strategy during the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure social distancing.

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Speaker says reasons for reconvening not urgent enough

Earlier, the Speaker of Parliament had stated that the reasons the majority leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, had proffered for reconvening parliament did not meet the threshold required by Article 112 of the constitution.

Afenyo-Markin had argued that the Speaker’s decision to adjourn parliament indefinitely on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, while several bills were before the house awaiting approval, was unsatisfactory.

He noted that discussions on the Financing Agreement between the government of Ghana and the International Development Association, the requests for tax exemptions for beneficiaries under the One District One Factory Programme, matters concerning the Ghana Financial Stability Fund, and the consideration of several bills were still pending.

However, Alban Bagbin, per a Citinewsroom report, explained that most of the issues listed in the petition, including the $250 million IDA financing agreement, had already been tabled before parliament adjourned.

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Parliament defends Bagbin’s late recall of parliament

YEN.com.gh also reported that Parliament has fought off claims that Speaker Alban Bagbin has delayed recalling MPs because it serves the interest of his party, the NDC.

Parliament says the claims are false and unfounded and should be disregarded by the general public.

It explained that the house was on recess and the Speaker was on an international assignment to Dubai.

Source: YEN.com.gh