Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga engaged in a heated procedural clash in Parliament on Tuesday, July 9, over the use of the Dispatch Box during Question Time.
The dispute began when Afenyo-Markin attempted to use the Minority side’s Dispatch Box to pose a question to the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry. Majority Leader Ayariga promptly objected, calling the move “unprecedented and procedurally improper.”
“Mr. Speaker, can the Minority Leader show us which Standing Order allows him to ask questions from the Dispatch Table? Every other member, including myself, asked questions from our seats,” Ayariga argued.
He insisted the action defied parliamentary tradition and cautioned against undermining established norms.
“Mr. Speaker, as for today, it will not happen. He will not go to the Dispatch Box to ask questions. He will stand where he is and ask the question, and the Minister will answer,” Ayariga stressed.
Hon. Afenyo-Markin mounted a spirited defence of his action. Citing Standing Order 88(2), he argued that the rules only require a member to rise to ask a question, with no restriction on where the member must stand.
“Mr. Speaker, there is no express provision that says a member must necessarily stand in his place. This Dispatch Box to your left belongs to this side of the House, leaders and members, with the leave of the Speaker, can use it,” he asserted.
He further referred to practices in other Commonwealth parliaments:
“It is not out of place, particularly in the UK, for the opposition leader to use the Dispatch Box for submissions. So I don’t see all this hullabaloo about this ‘black box’ and ‘white box,’” Afenyo-Markin added, dismissing the Majority’s objections as unfounded.
Presiding over the session, Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor intervened to calm tensions and provided clarity on the matter. Citing Standing Order 88(2).”
Hon. Ahiafor clarified that this provision does not say the member shall rise and move to the Dispatch Box. “If we interpret it that way, it means any member who has a question can move to the Dispatch Box, which I do not believe is the intent of the rules,” he added.
He distinguished between ceremonial functions and a member’s representative role. According to him, when a leader of the House is making a ceremonial speech or concluding a national debate, they may use the Dispatch Box. But when acting in their representative capacity as MPs, such as asking a question, they must rise from their seat.”
He also cited Standing Order 5, which empowers the Speaker to interpret ambiguities in the Orders, and ruled conclusively:
“Any member, including a caucus leader, acting in their representative capacity, must rise at their seat to ask a question.”
Not backing down, the Minority leader raised another procedural challenge, arguing that if caucus leaders are not allowed to ask questions from the Dispatch Box, then Ministers should also be barred from using it, since their use of the Dispatch Box is not explicitly stated in the Standing Orders either.
In his response, Deputy Speaker Ahiafor explained that while Members of Parliament have designated seats to speak from, Ministers do not.
According to him, though Ministers could also be Members of Parliament, they attend to House in their capacity as Ministers to respond to questions. “Ministers do not have a designated place to rise and speak from like regular MPs do. The only place available to them is the Dispatch Box,” he clarified.
Quoting British jurist Lord Denning, he added: “I recall Lord Denning once said, ‘The law is about common sense, and common sense is the law.’ The only logical and practical place for a Minister to address the House is the Dispatch Box.”
“I so rule that the Minister, or any Minister appearing before this House, can use the Dispatch Box in responding to questions,” he ruled.
