The African Center for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) has raised alarm over the ongoing stalemate in Parliament following the Supreme Court’s suspension of Speaker Alban Bagbin’s ruling that declared four parliamentary seats vacant. ACEPA’s Executive Director, Rasheed Draman, warned that if left unchecked, this impasse could eventually cripple legislative proceedings.
Speaking in an interview, Draman pointed out that the frequent involvement of the courts in parliamentary disputes, often instigated by MPs encouraging private citizens to challenge decisions, is weakening public institutions. He cautioned that such actions set dangerous precedents that could one day leave Parliament dysfunctional.
“MPs sometimes push stakeholders outside Parliament to take matters to court, and I have warned them that this weakens their own institutions,” Draman said. He emphasized that political power is not permanent and urged lawmakers to be cautious about relying on court interventions. “If we’re not careful, one day we’ll wake up to find our Parliament paralyzed.”
Draman called for urgent collaboration between President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Speaker of Parliament, and the Chief Justice to resolve these tensions before they lead to a full-blown crisis. “We need a three-way conversation to address these issues because this deadlock, if unresolved, could have more serious consequences than we’ve seen in the 8th Parliament,” he added.
Godfred Sey/Ahotoronline.com
