NDC Caucus Petitions Speaker Against Proposed Parliamentary Recall.

Accra: The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Caucus has submitted a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, opposing a request by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Caucus for a recall of the House from November 28th to 29th. The NDC Caucus, led by Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, argued that the NPP's petition does not meet the constitutional requirements necessary for such a recall.According to Ghana News Agency, the memo addressed to the Speaker highlighted that the NPP Caucus has not fulfilled the conditions outlined in Article 112 (3) of the Constitution and Order 53(1) of the Standing Orders, which require signatures from fifteen percent of members of Parliament to initiate a recall. The NPP's request was based on an appeal to the Speaker to exercise discretion in recalling Parliament for what they described as 'high priority' Government Business.The NDC Caucus contends that there is no emergency or urgent government business requiring the recall, especially with the 2024 General Election just eleven days away. The memo emphasized the importance of allowing members of Parliament to remain in their constituencies to engage with the electorate ahead of the crucial December 7 election, which is significant for both the nation and the careers of many parliamentarians.The NDC Caucus criticized the proposed recall dates, arguing that they would disrupt MPs' campaign activities and logistical preparations. The memo also noted that this would be the fourth urgent recall request from the NPP Caucus in 2024, with previous sessions listing similar urgent government business that was ultimately abandoned.The NDC Caucus pointed out that during a recent recall on November 7th, the NPP Caucus failed to gather sufficient MPs to conduct business, leading to an indefinite adjournment by the Speaker. Given these circumstances, the NDC Caucus believes there is no urgent government business warranting a recall before the upcoming election.The memo concluded that Parliament could reconvene after the election to ad dress any outstanding business, stressing the need for a peaceful and credible election process. The NDC Caucus urged the Speaker to reject the recall request in the national interest and suggested a leadership meeting post-election to resolve the stalemate and agree on a suitable date for the House to reconvene.