Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has expressed determination to transact all businesses of the 8th Parliament before the transition to the 9th Parliament.

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This comes after he declined the request by the Majority Leader for Effutu Constituency in the Central Region, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, for him to recall the House to consider twenty-two (22) outstanding urgent government and public businesses two days ahead of the December 7 polls.Speaker Bagbin said he is pessimistic that Parliament will be able to transact these businesses within two days.

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He also noted that recalling members of Parliament would interrupt campaign activities, which would not serve the national interest.Nonetheless, the Speaker is resolute that all parliamentary business will be handled and completed before the transition to the next Parliament."I wonder how the proposed twenty-two items could be transacted within two days.

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I accordingly suggest that government prioritizes these businesses together with others not captured by your memo for consideration after the conduct of the General elections on the 7th of December 2024. The House will resume sitting after the elections to complete all essential matters before a seamless transition to the 9th Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana," Mr Bagbin assured.

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Reacting to this, Mr Afenyo-Markin, said he cannot force the Speaker to reconvene the House if he chooses otherwise.For him, he can only leverage constitutional means to address the NPP caucus' grievances.“I cannot force him. I would use constitutional means. If he shuts the door, it's up to him.

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But I can tell you that for the next one week we will focus on our elections with a determined mind to win and win well for parliament and for our flagbearer, so that if they are still being difficult and acting undemocratic, we know that we have a government in waiting to implement these important policies ,” the Effutu MP indicatedHistorically, Parliament suspends sittings before general elections to enable MPs to connect with their

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constituents and address pressing matters. However, concerns have been raised about the potential implications of this hiatus, including a legislative backlog that could delay critical national decisions.The Speaker has assured that pending matters will be prioritized when Parliament resumes, emphasizing the importance of continuity in governance after the electoral process.

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Political analysts believe the Speaker's stance reflects a broader understanding of the need for stability and focus during election periods.

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