Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has delayed his ruling on a motion by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin. The motion seeks to overturn a decision that blocked a parliamentary probe into alleged mass dismissals by the new NDC government.
On March 5, 2025, First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor halted the probe. He cited the sub judice rule due to an ongoing court case: Henry Nana Boakye v. Attorney-General.
Afenyo-Markin disagreed. He called the ruling legally flawed and argued it misapplied the sub judice principle. In his view, the decision could allow court cases to block Parliament’s oversight role.
He supported his claim with a May 6, 2025 Supreme Court judgment in Vincent Ekow Assafuah v. Attorney-General. The Court ruled that constitutional bodies must continue their work unless a court specifically restrains them.
He also cited a 2012 ruling by former Speaker Joyce Bamford-Addo. That ruling allowed Parliament to discuss public issues despite pending court cases.
“This ruling sets a dangerous precedent,” Afenyo-Markin warned. “It weakens our ability to hold the executive accountable.”
He invoked Standing Order 127 and urged the Speaker to reverse the March ruling.
On Friday, June 13, Speaker Bagbin addressed the House. He said the matter required careful legal review. He recalled a past case where the Court implied that recognizing a writ could act as an injunction on Parliament.
“I disagreed with that interpretation,” Bagbin said. But he acknowledged a more recent ruling that took a different view. That ruling, he noted, has been quoted heavily in the current debate.
“We need to study this carefully,” he added. “Our actions must align with the Constitution and current legal thinking.”
The Speaker’s final ruling is expected later. His decision will determine whether Parliament can investigate the alleged mass dismissals.
