Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the majority leader, has come out against Speaker Alban Bagbin’s decision to adjourn Parliament indefinitely, saying it “amounts to supervising chaos” and compromises Ghana’s democratic processes.
Afenyo-Markin voiced his displeasure with the series of events that resulted in the adjournment of the House on Thursday, November 7, after Bagbin decided to do so because there was no business, which was caused by the absence of members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Afenyo-Markin explained that the NPP caucus’ absence was caused by a procedural dispute rather than carelessness or irresponsibility. He clarified that the agreed-upon Order Paper, which lists the topics and agenda items for discussion in Parliament, was among the documents that the Clerk of Parliament had neglected to print.
According to Afenyo-Markin, one of the main reasons the NPP was unable to participate in parliamentary activities was the Order Paper’s non-printing. The NPP was unable to participate since the session could not go forward as scheduled without the document.
The absence of NPP MPs was misconstrued as a lack of dedication to parliamentary business, as Afenyo-Markin noted, and this oversight had serious repercussions. He stressed that the administrative error that resulted in the adjournment, not the NPP, should be held accountable for the failed resolution of the procedural issue.
