The Speaker of Parliament on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, abruptly adjourned proceedings due to the lack of quorum despite a last-minute decision by the minority caucus to participate in parliamentary proceedings.
The standing orders of Parliament (48) stipulate that 1/3 Members of Parliament shall be present before proceedings can take place.
The Minority in Parliament has vowed to use all options available to defend and protect the Member of Parliament for Assin North Constituency, James Gyakye Quayson in the ongoing criminal prosecution.
The decision follows a High Court ruling granting the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame’s request for Mr. Gyakye Quayson to be tried on a daily basis despite an application for a stay of proceedings and a pending application before the Court of Appeal against the daily trial.
According to the Minority, the ruling puts “James Gyakye Quayson in the same position that he was placed in by the Supreme Court before the Assin North Constituency by-election.”
The Minority Chief Whip, Kwame Governs Agbodza in a statement on Wednesday, July 19, wondered how the court wants Mr. James Gyakye Quayson to perform his parliamentary business if he has to make court appearances on a daily basis.
“If the Member of Parliament must appear in court every weekday for trial, what time will he have to attend to Parliamentary business to represent the people of Assin North? We are therefore, at this point, including all options available to us to defend and protect our colleague,” the Minority noted.
Meanwhile, the Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh believes the action by the Minority is meant to frustrate the government’s business.
