The NDC Majority Caucus in Parliament has urged the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, to reject the recall request submitted by Members of Parliament (MPs) from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In a memo submitted on Monday, November 25, 2024, and signed by their leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the NDC Caucus argued that the petition from the NPP MPs did not meet the constitutional and procedural requirements as outlined in Article 112(3) and Standing Order 53(1) of Parliament.
The Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam MP further noted that the recall request failed to fulfil the necessary threshold to trigger such a process.
“The request made by the NPP MPs is not supported by the required constitutional and procedural framework. For any recall to be valid, it must meet certain criteria. Unfortunately, this request falls short of those legal standards,” he stated.
Dr. Forson further stressed that the Speaker has the discretion to approve or reject such a request, particularly when the threshold has not been met.
“It is the Speaker’s prerogative to decide whether or not to proceed with the recall. Given that the necessary legal threshold has not been achieved, there is no justification for the Speaker to act in favour of this petition,” he explained.
In the memo, Dr Forson also noted that the NPP MPs had not demonstrated any urgent business or crisis that would necessitate the immediate recall of Parliament.
“Respectfully, Mr. Speaker, we wish to submit that based on the petitioner’s own request, you are not obliged to recall Parliament. Further, the petitioner has not demonstrated that there is any emergency nor urgent government business to warrant a recall of Parliament, with barely eleven (11) remaining days to the crucial 2024 General Election.”
“There is no clear and justifiable reason for the urgent reconvening of the House. With the upcoming election in mind, we believe it is in the best interest of the country and Parliament to allow the House to remain adjourned until the necessary time.”
“The petition, in our view, is an attempt to create an unnecessary disruption as we approach the elections. We trust that the Speaker will uphold the constitutional and procedural integrity of Parliament by rejecting this request,” Dr Forson stated.
It will be recalled that on 22nd November, NPP MPs petitioned Speaker Bagbin, requesting the recall of Parliament to address what they deemed to be urgent government business.
