The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin today, December 16, 2021, took his seat again after a two-week medical break.
He left for the United Arab Emirates and handed over to First Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu.
His last act before leaving Ghana was to preside over the rejection of the 2022 budget on November 26, 2021. That process was done after a walkout by the Majority.
When the Majority returned to the House on November 30 to rescind the rejection and approve the budget, the Minority also stayed away from proceedings.
Speaking on the issue of walkouts, Bagbin stated that they are a legitimate form of Parliamentary protest.
Bagbin also pronounced on a key issue that happened in his absence, especially the procedural challenge of the First Deputy Speaker counting himself to form a quorum for a key vote in the House.
“Honourable members, staging a walkout is a legitimate form of protest, and it’s part of our parliamentary norms and practices.
“Indeed, there have been several walkouts since 1997, and each side of the House has used it as a legitimate tool to register their displeasure over one issue or the other.
“As the leader of the Minority, I employed it on several occasions between 2001 and 2008”, Alban Bagbin recounted.
Follow proceedings of today’s sitting
