Minority Chief Alexander Afenyo-Markin has formally petitioned the Speaker of Parliament to overturn a March 5, 2025, ruling by the First Deputy Speaker, describing it as a “harmful precedent” that weakens parliamentary democracy.
In his written submission, the Effutu MP argued that the choice which blocked Non-public Members’ Movement No. 16 on sub judice grounds was legally flawed.
The movement had sought to debate the Chief of Workers’s controversial directive revoking public sector appointments.
However First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor dominated it couldn’t proceed as a result of the matter was earlier than the Supreme Court docket in Henry Nana Boakye v. Lawyer-Common.
Afenyo-Markin contends the ruling misapplied the sub judice rule, successfully permitting pending litigation to silence Parliament’s oversight position.
He cited the Supreme Court docket’s Could 6, 2025, resolution in Vincent Ekow Assafuah v. Lawyer-Common, which clarified that constitutional our bodies should function until explicitly restrained by a courtroom order.
The Minority Chief additionally referenced a 2012 ruling by then-Speaker Joyce Bamford-Addo, which upheld Parliament’s proper to deliberate on public points regardless of associated courtroom circumstances.
He warned that the March 5 resolution units a dangerous precedent, enabling strategic litigation to dam legislative scrutiny.
Invoking Standing Order 127, Mr Afenyo-Markin urged the Speaker to reverse the ruling, stressing that “the individuals deserve strong legislative oversight” of govt actions affecting residents’ welfare.
The Speaker is predicted to reply in the end.
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