Financial and investment services company United Capital Plc said its net profit for the year to September jumped by 88.7 per cent, compared to the same period of last year, according to its earnings report issued on Wednesday.
Revenue for the group, whose operations include investment banking, mergers & acquisitions, project finance, microfinance and asset management among others, enlarged by more than three-fifths to N28.2 billion.
It achieved the sharp top-line growth, thanks to a major boost to fee & commission income and exchange gains.
“United Capital group recorded an impressive performance in Q3 2024 despite the challenging and uncertain business environment characterised by rising inflationary trend, volatile currency exchange rate amid the fast-changing macroeconomic landscape,” CEO Peter Ashade said in a separate document.
“In September, we successfully led the historic issuance of Nigeria’s first-ever Domestic FGN US Dollar bond, raising over $900 million and achieving an outstanding 180 per cent subscription rate,” he added.
United Capital launched its microfinance arm, UCee Microfinance Bank, in August, marking the seventh subsidiary of the group, which, until 2014, was a unit of United Bank for Africa.
Total expenses for the period under review climbed to N11.4 billion from N8.3 billion. The company’s share of accumulated profit of associate companies rose 260 per cent to N1.7 billion.
United Capital holds a 25 per cent stake in underwriter Heirs Insurance Limited and another 25 per cent interest in Heirs Assurance Limited.
Profit before tax for the review period advanced 92.7 per cent to N18.7 billion, while profit after tax increased to N16 billion from N8.5 billion a year ago.
Total comprehensive income dipped 6 per cent to N35 billion.
Profit margin, a profitability ratio that measures how much of revenue has been turned into net profit, stood at 56.8 per cent in contrast to 48.4 per cent a year ago.
United Capital’s total assets grew more than one-third to N1.3 trillion during the period compared to the end of last year.
The stock has shed 21.3 per cent so far this year.
Last May, Financial Times ranked United Capital 67th on its list of Africa’s fastest-growing companies for 2023.
The Kwara State Governor, Abdul Rahman Abdul Razaq, has approved the payment of the new minimum wage of N70,000 to workers in the state from October.
The approval is contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Hauwa Nuru.
The statement said the approved wage will be implemented across the Kwara State public service, with effect from October 2024.
According to Mrs Nuru, the decision, which includes consequential adjustments to the relevant salary structures, was made after a tripartite meeting between the government, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) and representatives of the organised private sector.
Mrs Nuru, who is the co-chairman of the minimum wage committee, said Governor Abdulrazaq gave the committee authority to reach a consensus that benefits all parties involved.
“The immediate implementation of this new wage underscores Governor AbdulRazaq’s proactive and worker-friendly approach,” she said.
According to the commissioner, the template also covers workers in the 16 local government areas of the state.
Mrs Nuru said the new wage policy would cushion the effects of the current economic realities in a sustainable way.
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara has decried that the menace of drug abuse in the state is not an individual problem but a societal epidemic undermining the very foundation of communities.
The Governor noted this, on Saturday, at a one-day sensitization campaign on the dangers of drug abuse in society to 500 student representatives organized by the Zamfara State Substance Abuse Control and Prohibition of Human Trafficking Agency in collaboration with the World Health Organization, WHO, in Gusau.
Governor Lawal who was ably represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Malam Abubakar Mohammed Nakwada, added that his administration has taken the fight against drug abuse very seriously and will neither defer it nor fight it passively.
“The impact of drug abuse is felt across generations, decimating human potential, tearing families apart, and compromising the future of our youth.
“This is a battle that demands immediate, decisive, and sustained action and I want to assure you that it is an action we are fully committed to pursuing.
“From the onset of my administration, we recognized the imperative of ensuring that we initiate a mechanism that will checkmate issues bordering on illicit use of drugs, taking into cognizance of its multiplier effect.
“Many of the heinous crimes perpetrated in our societies including banditry have their roots related to substance abuse”, he added.
“This is what has informed our decision to establish a Substance Abuse Control and Prohibition of Human Trafficking Agency; and just recently, I inaugurated an all-encompassing committee Chaired by the First Lady to among others, control and fight the menace of drug abuse and other related social vices head-on in the State”
He also appreciated the World Health Organization, other development partners, security and law enforcement agencies and all other critical stakeholders for their unyielding partnership and continued support for such initiatives, stressing that the state government will continue leveraging on their expertise towards achieving sustainable development in the state.
Presenting a merit award to Governor Lawal, the State Coordinator of the World Health Organization, Dr Muktar Raji commended Lawal for prioritizing Human Capital development in the state.
The Obuasi Senior High Technical School (O’SecTec) has won the 2024 Stemnnovation competition with an innovative project focused on digital technology.
Team Obuasi SecTec
The competition, meant to empower students to develop solutions that contribute to Ghana’s future development, was organised by the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the NEIP, under the theme: “Addressing Future Challenges Now”, with the competing schools showcasing their innovations in environmental sustainability, energy sustainability and food sovereignty.
At the end of the day, the panel of five judges scored Obuasi SecTec higher for their solar-powered homemade dialysis machine to beat 56 other schools, to emerge the overall winner with 85.86 points.
They received a prize package that included GH¢50,000 from the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP), a desktop computer from Omega Computers, GH¢20,000 life insurance from Glico Insurance Company, along with medals and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) textbooks.
Dabokpa Technical Institute took second place with 83.29 points, earning GH¢40,000 while Yaa Asantewaa Girls placed third with 80.43 points and received GH¢30,000.
Presbyterian Senior High School, Legon, secured fourth place with 75 points and received GH¢20,000.
All participating schools were awarded a laptop, printer, stationery and a plaque for their achievements.
Schools ranked fourth to tenth each received GH¢20,000 while those in the eleventh to twentieth positions received GH¢10,000.
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Minister of Education, commended the winners and all participating schools for their ingenuity and skills, stating that “Stemnnovation has come to stay.”
He emphasised that STEM education has the potential to transform the educational landscape in the country.
The minister said that the competition would provide students with opportunities to discover and harness their creative talents for the benefit of the world.
“Ghana has the best group of students in the world to develop projects to transform the country’s socio-economic development,” he said.
He mentioned that the government has renovated schools such as St. Barnabas Basic School in Osu and Dzertokoe Basic School in the Volta region to provide state-of-the-art learning environments.
Dr.Adutwum also announced that the Juaben Model STEM Junior High School and other STEM institutions would soon be inaugurated and ready for operation.
He said that those schools would play a crucial role in transforming the country’s development by equipping students with the 21st-century skills essential for modern classrooms.
The Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Technical, Vocational and Education Training (TVET), Professor Kingsley Nyarko, emphasised the significance of STEM education in Ghana’s future progress.
He highlighted the need to equip the next generation with both theoretical and practical skills.
“STEM and TVET form the backbone of Ghana’s future workforce. Through this competition, we are building a generation of thinkers, creators and doers who will shape the trajectory of Ghana for years to come,” he said.
Transformation
Prof. Nyarko added that the projects had the potential to transform industries, communities and the nation.
He further praised the competing students for their creativity and efforts. “It is inspiring to see our youth taking on the global challenge of climate change head-on. These projects have the potential to transform industries, communities and our nation,” he added.
The founder of J.K. Mensah Foundation, Mr J.K. Mensah, an indigene of Antoa in the Kwabre East Municipality of Ashanti region, has injected a total of GH¢50,000 into the moral upbringing of school children in the locality by the Foundation.
About GH¢20,000 will be given to the Local Council of Churches, comprising of about 20 Churches at Antoa, to promote the moral upbringing of pupils through education.
The Foundation would also administer GH¢20,000 for the study of Science and Mathematics with GHc5,000 (being 25%) of the amount to be allocated to the JHS students, while the remaining GHc10,000 will go into acquiring computers for ICT studies in Junior High Schools.
Mr. J.K. Mensah, who is the Board Chairman of the Narcotics Control Commission also presented a quantity of branded exercise books for distribution to over 1,000 pupils in various Basic schools at Antoa.
The symbolic presentation of branded exercise books to schools
Explaining the morale behind the gesture, Mr. J.K. Mensah, who is also the Vice chairman of the Ashanti Regional NPP Council of Elders, said he felt obliged to contribute to the healthy upbringing of children to study hard and become respected professionals in the community.
He hoped that more doctors, lawyers, engineers, journalists, accountants and teachers would abound particularly at Antoa and Kwabre East Municipality in general, in the near future.
Mr. Mensah hoped the lives of the pupils would be moulded to become responsible members of the community with the guidance of teachers and churches and pledged his continuous support in empowering members of the community through social intervention initiatives drawn by the Foundation.
Dr. Alex Frimpong, chairman of the 7-member Committee of the Foundation assured that the Foundation would ensure a sustained support for brilliant but needy students in the area.
A former Member of Parliament for Kwabre East, Mr. Kofi Frimpong, testified that Mr J.K. Mensah was very much concerned with the total development of Antoa and the Kwabre enclave as a whole.
Mr. Akwasi Gyamfi Onyinah Acheampong, NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Kwabre East commended Mr. Mensah for his selfless attitude toward empowerment of the people towards development.
The Queen mother of Antoa, Nana Boa Darko Pokuaa, supported by Nana Amosuaa, Queen of Asante Mampong Nintin, presided over the presentation ceremony with the clergy, educationists, teachers, assembly members, parents and the school pupils.
In Ghana, for the separation of powers, we have three arms of government, the Executive, the Legislative who are lawmakers and the Judiciary who are custodians of the law.
Each of these arms are guided by laws on how to run its business. Parliament has it laws and if today, the Speaker of Parliament uses Article 97 (1g and 1h) to remove from the House, four MPs who violated the law, there is clash between Parliament and the Apex Court. What is Art. 97 in Ghana’s 1992 Constitution saying?
On the tenure of office of Members of Parliament, Article 97 says (1) A member of Parliament shall vacate his seat in Parliament……(g) if he leaves the party of which he was a member at the time of his election to Parliament to join another party or seeks to remain in Parliament as an independent member; or (h) if he was elected a member of Parliament as an independent candidate and joins a political party.
So, what is the clash about? Four sitting MPs, Andrew Asiamah, (Independent) Fomena Constituency and 2nd Deputy Speaker; Cynthia Morrison (NPP) Agona; Kwadwo Asante (NPP) Suhum and Peter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah (NDC) Amenfi Central, decided to contest the 2024 Parliamentary elections on tickets other than what got them to Parliament.
Looking at the law, they have all violated Art 97 (1g and 1h) and should immediately vacate their seats. Upon being notified, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin ruled on it, and removed the four from the House.
This happened before, in October 2020, when the NPP referred the law to the then Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mike Ocquayeand had removed from Parliament, Andrew Asiamah, an NPP MP, who intended contesting elections on independent ticket. This was done and the NPP celebrated.
Four years later, Asiamah again together with three others violated Art. 97 and when the Speaker was notified, they were removed from the House. But this time the NPP run to the Supreme Court and the Speaker’s decision was overturned.How can the NPP use this law to settle scores with its MP in 2020, but today is saying the Speaker had no right to apply that same law?
Art. 97, is so clear, so why did the Supreme Court not uphold Bagbin’s decision? Well, it said among other things that the four constituencies will lose their voices in the House. But wait! Did the NDC not cry to court, saying the people of Guan were denied a voice in Parliament, but today it is saying four constituencies must be denied their voices in the House? I am confused, by this double-standard.
In the case of Guan, it was constitutionally impossible to create a constituency before General Elections, due the delay caused by some SALL chiefs when they challenged the creation of Oti region, in court. NDC made horrible noises that the people of Guan were denied their constitutional right to have a voice in Parliament.
And how can the custodians of the Law say provisions of a law should not be applied? And how can the Judiciary decide how a law, clearly written should be implemented, in the direct opposite way?
The problem we have in this country is the NPP and the NDC, who will always twist the law to suit their intentions. A law that is good to them today, can be said to be a bad law tomorrow if it does not favour them. It is only in Ghana that the law is not blind.
The violation of Art. 97 has occurred a number of times in Parliament, but no objections were ever raised until October 2020, when the NPP reminded all Ghanaians that there is a law like that.
Some sitting MPs in the past, Yaomi Labik (Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo, 2000); (Abubaker Siddique (Salaga, 2004); Rashid Bawa (Akan 2004); Osei-Owusu (Bekwai, 2012), William Akoto (Birem North, 2004) and Teye Nyaunu (Lower Manya, 2008) violated Art. 97, and all went scot-free. So, the question is, if the NPP had not push for Art. 97 to be applied, would it have been used today?
Now the country is split into two, with some supporting the Speaker and others hailing the Supreme Court. As for me I am very confused. Can the Supreme Court determine that no one has any right to separate with his girlfriend even if there is evidence that the girl was cheating on him?
I am very confused. How can a law, be interpretated differently? And all who work in the legal profession call themselves, learned. And so, only they can tell us the letter ‘A,’ we see, is in fact, the letter ‘Z,’ and expect us to accept it, because that is the law. Hmmm, education must be our major problem. But we who are not learned, are knowledgeable and wise, and just as the Lord said “for the lack of knowledge my people, perish,” let the learned continue to be learned, we will continue to be knowledgeable.
Hmmm, the Law again. I am confused for how can two learned people meet in court and disagree to agree, while two knowledgeable people will meet and agree to agree? As it is, the lawmakers are in conflict with the custodians of the law and the confusion is now basaa.
By Hon Daniel Dugan
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.
Last week Friday, we proposed to the military to shoot on sight any illegal miner (galamsey) that will be caught doing alluvial mining on any of our water bodies. We, however, suggested that instead of shoot to kill as espoused by the Member of Parliament for Bekwai, Joseph Osei Owusu, the military should rather target the legs of these social miscreants to immobilise them.
Our harsh suggestion, which we still stand by, stems from the continuous pollution of our major rivers and creeks by the illegal miners, despite all the public criticisms against their conducts. In fact, in a video we have sighted on social media, an apparent illegal miner was seen chastising “those sitting in Accra and demonstrating against illegal mining”.
He suggested to the protesters to come to the mining areas and even Kumasi to organise similar protests to see if they would get any support.
The arrogant manner this illegal miner spoke, to us at The Chronicle, is a clear indication that they are not ready to stop the pollution of the water bodies.
Indeed, this has been manifested in the Eastern Region, where the illegal miners after being cleared from the banks and on Birim River, have gone back to do brisk business.
In our opinion, the stage that we have reached, if we should keep on talking about human rights – these illegal miners will ‘execute’ all Ghanaians. The human rights groups should not gloss over the fact that water is life – without it human beings cannot survive on planet Earth.
As MP Osei Owusu noted, polluting the rivers and denying fellow human beings the right to survive amounts to murder, and the latter, per our laws, must also be killed.
But as we stated earlier, we are not calling for them to be killed, but maiming them will send strong signal to others that they would suffer the same fate and live with it in perpetuity if they do not stop polluting the rivers.
This is the only way we, as a country, can deal with the situation and we are very happy that a former Deputy Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine, has also joined the calls for drastic actions against the miners.
According to a story carried by myjoyonline.com, the MP for Bolgatanga East constituency has suggested that a “shoot on sight” policy would be more beneficial to the government’s efforts in combating the menace.
“I have been discussing with a brother of mine… he has been proposing radically that we should actually send drones with either bullets or bombs with heat detection technology, so that if we detect human activity in that area, they should just fire. If that is what will save us from this environmental genocide, I will support it,” he reportedly said during a radio discussion on Joy News TV.
As a lawyer and former Deputy Attorney General, Dr Ayine certainly values the rights of others, but if despite this knowledge, he is still proposing a radical approach to the fight against the pollution of our water bodies and destruction of forests, it sends strong signal that we are at a breaking point.
Those raising the issue of lack of employment for the youth, though is a major concern to all Ghanaians, it still cannot and should not justify the destruction of the water bodies.
We must be honest to ourselves, the illegal miners have tasted money and know how to splurge cash.
In view of this, no alternative employment offered either by the government or the private sector will satisfy them to stop what they are doing. This is the more reason why the radical approach must be adopted to stop them in their tracks.
Can we deploy the army and the police to patrol Rivers Birim, Densu, Volta, Prah, Ankobrah, Offin, and Tano for twenty four hours? The answer is certainly no.
The best thing they can do is to patrol part of these rivers for a period of time, but not 24 hours all year round. Even if they can do, what about those in the forests who work mainly in the night to outwit security?
The problem at hand is a very complex one, which must be solved with radical ideas. This is not the time, as we earlier stated, to be talking about human rights when the entire citizens of this nation are on the verge of being exterminated.
Following the Supreme Court’s order on Friday to stay the ruling of the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned Ghanaians to prepare for what they are calling a “showdown on Tuesday.”
According to the NDC, the public may witness an event reminiscent of January 6, as tension rose over control of the Speaker’s seat and the majority position in Parliament.
Last Thursday, Speaker Bagbin declared four parliamentary seats vacant, giving the NDC a majority in Parliament, which prompted celebrations among the opposition MPs.
In response, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) swiftly filed for an intervention from the Supreme Court in an ex-parte motion.
The Supreme Court’s order has sparked debate, not only among legal professionals but also among political commentators, regarding its directive to reinstate the four MPs and recognise them as such.
Mahama Ayariga, MP for Bawku Central and Alhassan Suhuyini, MP for Tamale North, have commented during television discussions, that while the court may issue rulings, enforcing them is another matter.
Ayariga, a legal practitioner, hinted that “Tuesday will be an interesting day,” without giving specifics.
Ayariga defended Speaker Bagbin’s actions, stating that he acted within the provisions of the Constitution. He added that when the interpretation of the law is contested, the Supreme Court’s role is to provide clarity.
According to him, the Supreme Court’s based its ruling on the representation and human rights of the four affected constituencies, he stated that indeed if it was a human rights issue then the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction, citing Article 33 of the constitution on the protection of rights by the court.
He also questioned whether the judiciary considered the same rights for the people of Santrokofi, Akpafu, Lipke and Lolobi (SALL), who have been without representation for the past four years.
He criticised the Supreme Court for being overly concerned, comparing their stance to “crying more than the bereaved.”
The MP for Bawku Central also questioned the need for the injunction application filed by Alexander Afenyo Markins, the NPP leader in Parliament, suggesting it pre-empted the action.
The Bawku Central Legislator expressed disappointment at the Supreme Court’s involvement in what he sees as a political matter, citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Baker vs Carr (1962) to support his view. He questioned how the Court could position itself as a political body, overseeing actions within the legislature.
Alhassan Suhuyini, meanwhile, accused Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo of being perceived by the public as acting in favour of the NPP, cautioning her against letting that perception take root. He assured the public that on Tuesday there would be a “political showdown”.
Kwaku Ansa-Asare, former Director of the Ghana School of Law also criticized the Supreme Court’s decision, calling it procedurally flawed and describing the order to stay the Speaker’s ruling as null and void.
He suggested that Parliament could cite the Court for contempt for overstepping its constitutional bounds.
Ansa-Asare further stated that the Speaker might choose not to comply with the Court’s order, which could lead to a constitutional crisis between the two branches of government.
He also criticized the composition of the panel of judges, arguing that more senior judges should have been assigned to the case.
Dr. Ansa-Asare called for a dialogue between the three branches of government—the executive, the legislature and the judiciary—to prevent constitutional conflict.
Prof. Ransford Gyampo, a Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, also urged senior members of both sides of Parliament to step in to prevent further escalation.
The Supreme Court of Ghana has temporarily overturned Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin’s ruling which barred four Members of Parliament (MPs) from representing their constituents and declared their seats vacant.
The apex court, accordingly, directed Parliament to recognize and allow the four affected MPs namely Andrew Amoako Asiama, Independent MP for Fomena and 2nd Deputy Speaker, Cynthia Mamle Morrison, NPP MP for Agona West, Peter Yaw Kwakye-Ackah, NDC MP for Wassa Amenfi East and Kwadwo Asante, NPP MP for Suhum, to perform their duties.
This decision follows the granting of an ex-parte application filed by the Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, praying to the Court to stay the execution of Bagbin’s ruling declaring vacant the seats of four MPs and ordering the said MPs to vacate their seats in Parliament on account of his declaration.
Afenyo-Markin argued that Bagbin’s ruling would cause irreparable damage, citing potential harm to:
a. Parliament’s business, especially, committees chaired by majority members.
b. Government business due to minority members’ actions.
c. Government appropriation requiring parliamentary approval.
d. Constitutional rights of the four MPs and their constituents.
e. Supreme Court’s original and exclusive jurisdiction.
“By our understanding of Article 97 (1) (h), (g) the step taken by these four parliamentarians were meant for the 9th Parliament of Ghana coming in a different identity. It does not amount to crossing carpet in the current Parliament. The Speaker did not point to any communication from the MPs, they were not heard at all and so, their rights under rules of natural justice, the audi alteram partem rule and that of their constituents has been breached”, Afenyo-Markin’s strong argument as captured in the Supreme Court’s ruling dated October 18, 2024.
Considering the gravity and urgency of the suit brought before the apex court by the Majority Leader, the Court has further directed the Speaker and the Attorney General, the defendants in the suit, to file their statements of case within seven (7) days, followed by a joint Memorandum of issues within seven days of filing.
“On the balance of the law, exhibits and facts placed before us, we are satisfied that the duly elected representatives in question were not heard on the extremely critical issue raised”, noted the ruling by the five-member panel of Supreme Court Judges chaired by the Chief Justice, G. S. Torkornoo.
The other panel members were M. Owusu, JSC, S.K.A. Asiedu, JSC, E.Y. Gaewu, JSC, and Y. Darko Asare, JSC.
The directive of the Supreme Court will remain in effect, not for the 10 days initially requested by the applicant, but until the court delivers its final ruling on the matter.
Meaning of ex-parte
An ex-parte application is a request or motion made to a court by one party without the presence or representation of the opposing party. Ex-parte applications are usually made in urgent or emergency situations where delay could cause harm or prejudice to the applicant. The applicant must demonstrate that notice to the opposing party would frustrate the purpose of the application.
Speaker Bagbin, had on Thursday, October 17, 2024, in a ruling declared four parliamentary seats vacant, citing Article 97 of the 1992 Constitution as the basis of his decision. He made the declaration following a motion moved by the NDC MP for Tamale South and a former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu.
Haruna Iddrisu in his motion invoked the constitutional provisions that mandate MPs who seek to switch their political affiliations or indicated their intention to contest their parliamentary seats as independent candidates to vacate their seats.
Walkout
However, Bagbin’s ruling was seen by the Majority Caucus as a breach of the constitution and usurpation of the authority of the Supreme Court. In response, they staged a walkout from Parliament, protesting the Speaker’s ruling as unfair. Afenyo-Markin later told the Parliamentary Press Corps that their action was after both the Speaker and the Minority Members of the House had attempted to silence him as he sought to convey the Majority Caucus’ strong misgivings about the Speaker’s blatantly unconstitutional conduct.
Respect
Afenyo-Markin welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling urging the Minority Caucus to take legal action if they have a strong case. He noted that the ruling affirmed the legal rights of the four MPs and, by extension, the democratic representation of their constituents.
“The court has determined the matter and has ordered the parties to file the necessary processes for the final determination of the matter. We expect our colleagues and all those involved in this matter to respect the law, including the right Honorable Speaker”, he noted.
He added “We are democrats. We don’t believe in violence. We don’t believe in mischief and unnecessary political chaos. We came to court believing that the court would do right and indeed the court has just done it. The rights of those MPs have been reinforced, as well as the rights of those constituents who elected them”.
Restore
Prior to the Supreme Court hearing, Afenyo-Markin vowed to take lawful action against the Speaker’s “unconstitutional conduct”, stressing the need to restore constitutional order and maintain parliamentary integrity.
Members of Parliament (MPs) on the ticket of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) have declared boldly that they have boycotted Parliament until the case they filed at the Supreme Court is determined.
Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin
The decision of the NPP MPs, announced on Thursday, October 17, 2024 by their leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin, came minutes after the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin declared four seats vacant.
By the communication from the Speaker to the House, the NPP has lost three members and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has lost one member.
Addressing the media shortly after boycotting the proceedings, Afenyo Markin claimed that the Speaker had jettisoned the writ of summons to “do the bidding of the NDC. It is so clear. But we, as the majority caucus, immediately are boycotting Parliament until this matter is determined by the Supreme Court.
“The Speaker has no right to interpret the constitution, and it is so clear that what he did was to give advantage to the NDC and do the bidding of the NDC.
“We are not going to go further to litigate. We have a process at the court. We will follow it up. If the court makes a pronouncement, we will respect the orders of the court. Because we believe that the issues we have raised are issues for interpretation,” he added.
CHANGES
The announcement by the Speaker means that the membership of the NPP MPs has reduced from 137 plus the independent candidate who had been doing business with them, from 138 to 135. On the side of the MPs of the opposition NDC, their numerical strength has been reduced by one, bringing it to 136, translating into them having the highest number of members in the House.
COMMUNICATION
The Speaker had asked for two days, from last Tuesday, to give his ruling on the statement made by the Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson, for the MPs to be sacked.
However, speaking yesterday, he mentioned that he was giving a communication to the House.
In the communication, Speaker Bagbin laid the foundation that the matter of whether an MP had changed his or her ticket is based on fact.
He said that it was glaring from the notices of poll he had sighted that the affected MPs had changed their political tickets, upon which they entered the 8th Parliament.
Though he referred to the ruling by former Speaker Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye, which was based on a petition from the NPP, he said that that ruling does not bind other Speakers, including him.
According to him, Article 97(1) permits him as Speaker to inform the House when a member vacates his or her seat.
“Accordingly, I proceed to inform the House that by the notification of polls, the following members (he mentioned their names), by their actions, have vacated their seats in Parliament. These MPs cannot be allowed by law and my good self to continue to pretend to be representing the people that they don’t believe in and they don’t have any loyalty for in this House,” he declared.
AFFECTED MPS
The MPs who have been sacked are the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, the current independent MP for Fomena, who has filed to contest the seat again but this time on the NPP ticket; Peter Kwakye Ackah, the NDC MP for Amenfi Central; Cynthia Mamle-Morrison, the current MP for Agona West and Kwadwo Asante, the current NPP MP for Suhum, who have all filed to contest as independent candidates.
TAKING OVER
The Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson, addressed the media and stated that his side had “now moved to become the majority.”
According to him, they will begin the process to elect a Second Deputy Speaker and take over the majority of the committees.
“We will begin the process to move to the majority side and elect a new Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament on Tuesday,” he said.
According to the dictates of Article 112(6), there should be no by-election if the period to a general election is less than three months.
EXPERT VIEWS
Renowned legal practitioner, Kweku Paintsil, speaking to JoyNews, faulted the ruling of the Speaker, saying the fact that an MP declared an intention to return to Parliament on a different ticket does not automatically equate to leaving the previous ticket.
It was his hope that the Supreme Court, within the earliest possible time, would make a determination on the matter.
However, former director of the Ghana School of Law, Kwaku Ansa-Asare, on the same network, did not see how the majority would be victorious in court.
“I can’t see how all of a sudden the Supreme Court will begin to lay down processes for Parliament,” he said in the context of separation of powers.
He explained that Speaker Bagbin had stated that the position he took had been the practice in Parliament, as such that fortified his stance.
He, however, cautioned the House “to be mindful of what they are doing today,” stating that it may playback in the future.
