NDC Caucus Vows To Resist Attempts To Undermine Speaker's Order: "We're The Majority"

• The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has vowed to resist all attempts to undermine its new status in parliament
• The party's parliamentary leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, said attempts to dictate to the party were unlawful and unacceptable
• He said the NDC would 'jealously' protect its new majority status and would use the same to protect the interests of Ghanaians

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) said it remained committed to safeguarding its new status as the majority caucus in parliament despite the Supreme Court staying the Speaker of Parliament’s order.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, October 21, 2024, the leader of the caucus, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, said his party would not relinquish their new-found status in parliament.

He dismissed the Supreme Court’s stay of execution on the matter, stating that any attempt to interfere with parliament's processes was unlawful and unacceptable and would not be countenanced.

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Dr Ato Forson affirmed that his party now formed the majority caucus in parliament in accordance with the house’s Standing Orders and said his side would 'jealously protect' that status and oppose attempts to undermine it.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing, will change this position!" he declared.

The caucus leader also stressed that his party would continue to uphold the interests of Ghanaians in parliament and would not abdicate them no matter what was thrown at them.

To this end, Dr Ato Forson assured Ghanaians that the NDC would use its majority status to repeal several 'nuisance' taxes imposed by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

Taxes being targeted for repeal include the Electronic Transfers Levy (E-levy) and the betting tax. He said the repeal of these would ease Ghanaians' financial burden and ensure some relief amidst the ongoing economic downturn.

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Dafeamekpor says Supreme Court erred

YEN.com.gh also reported that Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, the South Dayi Member of Parliament, told JoyNews that the Supreme Court’s indefinite stay of execution of Bagbin’s ruling flouted the legal principles guiding law practice in Ghana, which states that ex parte orders must not exceed nine days.

According to him, Alban Bagbin had not delivered an order per se but had rather delivered information to parliament in response to the petition filed by Haruna Iddrisu, the former Minority Leader. For this reason, he said the Supreme Court had erred in its ruling against a non-executable statement by the Speaker.

Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh