The Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs has slammed the indefinite suspension of Parliament’s recall, calling it an outright embarrassment to the Majority Caucus.
On Monday, October 6, 2025, Speaker Alban Bagbin blindsided the nation by announcing the postponement of the Third Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic. The reason? “Circumstances beyond my control,” he said—leaving the public and lawmakers alike with more questions than answers.
Parliament had adjourned on August 1, 2025, with plans to reconvene on October 14. But now, the chambers will remain eerily silent, even as pressing matters like the 2026 Budget and critical policy debates await their turn.
Dr. Rasheed Draman, Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs, didn’t hold back in his criticism. “With the overwhelming majority that the NDC enjoys, failing to pass the appropriations bill and risking a repeat of ‘spending on account’ would be a massive embarrassment,” he told Starr News.
But Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Rasheed Draman, has described the move as nothing short of embarrassing.
“If with all the majority that the NDC has, we end up in a situation where they are not able to pass the appropriations bill and we go into the next fiscal year, which may be spending on account as it was done between the NPP government and the NDC government, it would be a very huge embarrassment to the NDC majority. He told Starr News.
He added a sharp warning: “We’re told the country is being reset, but this—postponing Parliament’s reopening without explanation—is hardly the way to reboot a nation. It sends a troubling message about the government’s priorities and agenda.”
Dr. Draman also warned that the indefinite suspension could trigger a constitutional crisis, underscoring the gravity of the situation as the nation awaits clarity and decisive action from its leaders.
Story by: Elikplim Awuku
