Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has expressed grave worries about what he sees as a concerted attempt by Ghana’s Executive and Judiciary to weaken Parliament’s authority by portraying it as a continuous struggle for dominance between the organs of government.
The Supreme Court recently upheld a prior decision that prevented Bagbin from declaring four parliamentary seats empty, which is in line with his accusations.
The argument about the constitutional limits of the Speaker’s authority and the judiciary’s role in legislative affairs has heated up as a result of this development.
The Speaker had first appealed the Supreme Court’s intervention, claiming that Parliament should have sole control over its own choices because it is a distinct part of government.
Additionally, his application aimed to overturn a writ issued by Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, which demanded legal action to stop Bagbin from making any more statements regarding the contested seats.
Bagbin said that this meddling might undermine Ghana’s democracy during a media briefing on Wednesday, accusing the Judiciary and Executive of infringing on legislative independence.
He underlined that judicial supervision over legislative authority is inappropriate, particularly when it comes to internal affairs. He also said that such meddling creates a risky precedent that could undermine the separation of powers guaranteed by Ghana’s Constitution.
The Speaker emphasized the vital role that legislative autonomy plays in defending democracy and urged Ghanaians to be watchful in maintaining the independence of all institutions of government.
“The current issues may be likened to power play, and have the potential to undermine our democracy and the authority of Parliament. Its outcome will subvert constitutional powers and the democratic system, which Ghanaians have toiled and sacrificed their lives for.
“Recent acts of the judiciary and I see them as interference to the workings of Parliament. It is becoming increasingly clear that the Judiciary and Executive are seemingly colluding to weaken Parliament.”
