Elderly people must intervene to prevent a deeper crisis between parliament and the judiciary

A lecturer in political science at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has expressed concern over an escalating standoff between the Ghanaian Parliament and the Supreme Court.

He warned that without intervention, the ongoing constitutional dispute could lead to chaos.

This follows the Supreme Court’s recent rejection of Speaker Alban Bagbin’s request to overturn a ruling that declared his declaration of four parliamentary seats as vacant.

Prof. Gyampo argued on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show that the situation calls for intervention outside the judicial process.

“In my opinion, this case was not a matter that should be settled by the court. “If there are elders in Ghana, if we have a functioning Council of State, this is the time for them to step in and sort things out,” he said on Thursday.

He noted that high levels of political partisanship have hindered constructive mediation through traditionally neutral institutions, creating an environment where institutions are reluctant to resolve issues outside formal legal channels.

“We have managed to politicize every institution of government… so that we now have no people in Ghana with moderate influence who can intervene,” he noted.

Prof. Gyampo warned that the court’s continued intervention threatens to intensify the conflict between Parliament and the judiciary, causing Parliament to resist what it could see as judicial overreach.

“This current issue before the court is not one that the Supreme Court can resolve in a manner that will bring about peace…Parliament would stand up for itself and will not allow itself to be subordinated to the judiciary of the government.

“And what will happen then? Chaos!” he emphasized.

Prof. Gyampo called on the Council of State to take action and urged eminent Ghanaians to take on the role of mediators to avert a constitutional crisis.

“If the Council of State wants to fulfill its role, then I think we might be able to bring about a solution to this impasse,” he said.

Background

Effutu MP, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, initiated the legal proceedings after Speaker Alban Bagbin declared four parliamentary seats vacant.

The Supreme Court therefore issued a stay on Speaker Bagbin’s statement. The Speaker also responded with a lawsuit seeking to overturn the Court’s ruling suspending his declaration of four parliamentary seats as vacant.

The Speaker’s legal team argued, among other things, that the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction in the matter.

However, after hearing arguments from all parties, including the Attorney General and the Minister of Justice, the Supreme Court remained of the view that its previous ruling was appropriate and declared that the President’s appeal was without merit.

Parliament must reconvene

Meanwhile, a five-member delegation of the Council of State, led by the Speaker, Nana Otuo Siriboe II, paid a courtesy visit to the Speaker to learn first-hand the events in the legislature in recent times, resulting in the adjournment of the session. the House for an indefinite period.

During the visit, the Speaker revealed that his office had already initiated processes to recall the House.

He said the office is working to recall the House of Representatives early November.

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