The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has stated that the Minority caucus boycotting Parliamentary business without a formal notice to that effect is a violation of the House's Standing Orders.

The Standing Orders of Parliament state that a Member of Parliament must leave his or her seat if he or she has been absent for 15 sittings without the Speaker's consent and is unable to provide an acceptable explanation.

The Speaker determined that the gesture is not warranted in response to concerns voiced by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, concerning the representation of the minority being absent without authorization in the Votes and Proceedings of Parliament.

“Some MPs have been captured for being absent without permission, some concerns have been raised on the definition of walk-out and boycott. The deputy Minority Whip has raised a very serious matter on the fact that from his knowledge, some members were not present yesterday, but they have been captured as present, as it’s an indictment on the officers of Parliament.”

He added, “On the issue of attendance, Article 97 (1C) is very clear and that is what guides attendance of the house. So you can choose to attend or choose not to attend. When you refuse to attend, depending on your own action, you could be marked as absent or absent with permission. The burden now falls on the group to show evidence that my good self has granted you permission to absent yourselves in writing, not verbally; that any time a colleague of yours wants to attend court proceedings, you will solidarize with that colleague and that you will be absent so that the official report will capture that”.

On July 11, the Minority in Parliament once again boycotted business activity in Parliament in favor of the prosecution of Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson.