The 8th Parliament – True test of Ghana’s democracy
By Alswel O. Annan
JAN 18, 2021
Since 1992 when the 4th Republic was conceived and birthed, there have always being a clear Majority and Minority Caucus. More to the point, Speaker for all but one of the Parliamentary terms have always been nominated by and emerged from the majority caucus which coincidentally but not too surprisingly have always been the government in power or which won the Popular Presidential vote.
A swift but careful walk through memory lane presents the following speakers of parliament with their respective government in power in the Fourth Republic. NDC from 1993 till 2001 had its member Rt.Hon. Daniel Francis Annan as speaker for both the 1st and 2nd Parliament; the NPP between 2001 and 2009 presented two speakers in Rt. Hon. Peter Ala Adjetey and Rt.Hon. Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes for the 3rd and 4th Parliament respectively; the NDC between 2009 to 2013 nominated Rt. Hon. Joyce Adeline-Bamford Addo Spea
Haruna Iddrisu, MP, Tamale South
The National Democratic Congress Caucus on Thursday insisted that the NPP Group cannot claim a majority in the House despite a letter by Mr Andrew Asiamah Amoako, the Independent MP for Fomena to associate with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Group in Parliament.
Mr Asiamah Amoako has written to Speaker Alban Bagbin to officially indicate his willingness to associate with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Side in the House.
“I Andrew Asiamah Amoako, an Independent Member for Fomena Constituency and now the 2nd Deputy Speaker for the same Parliament do hereby declare that I shall for the purposes of transacting business in the house associate with the NPP in the Eighth Parliament.”
The National Democratic Congress Caucus on Thursday insisted that the NPP Group cannot claim majority in the House despite a letter by Mr Andrew Asiamah Amoako, the Independent MP for Fomena to associate with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Group in Parliament.
Mr Asiamah Amoako has written to Speaker Alban Bagbin to officially indicate his willingness to associate with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Side in the House.
“I Andrew Asiamah Amoako, an Independent Member for Fomena Constituency and now the 2nd Deputy Speaker for the same Parliament do hereby declare that, I shall for the purposes of transacting business in the house associate with the NPP in the Eighth Parliament.”
The General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu says it is naïve on the part of the members of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to say that the current 8th Parliament is hung due to both sides having the same 137 Parliamentarians.
“Whoever said that we have a hung parliament does not know the law. If anyone says that we don’t have a majority and a minority in parliament, the person does not know what he is talking about,” he chided.
Speaking on
Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, the NPP Chief Scribe said that the odd number of 275-member parliament creates a clear distinction of majority caucus and minority caucus as stated in the Standing Orders of Parliament even though the Constitution knows there are more than two parties in the country.