Parliamentary Deadlock in Ghana as Speaker Suspends Proceedings Indefinitely
Ghanaian parliament members protest during a parliamentary deadlock, with one holding the national flag.
The Speaker of Ghana’s parliament, Alban Bagbin, has indefinitely suspended proceedings following chaotic scenes over a dispute on parliamentary majority. The suspension comes after Bagbin declared four parliamentary seats vacant last week because some MPs switched party allegiances. His decision, which is currently being challenged in court, made the opposition National Democratic Congress the majority party in parliament. This led to a standoff in parliament between the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the NDC. However, the NPP leader in parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, directed members of his party to walk out before matters could degenerate. With insufficient MPs to proceed, the Speaker then suspended proceedings. The NPP has since accused Bagbin of undermining Ghana’s democracy, claiming he is biased towards the NDC. This political crisis threatens government operations, as key laws and funding approvals are stalled.
SOURCE: FRANCE 24