Accra: Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has stated that President John Dramani Mahama’s communication nominating Mr James Agalga as Acting Majority Leader was procedurally incorrect.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Speaker emphasized that the President did not possess the authority to formally communicate a change in the leadership of a parliamentary Caucus to the Speaker. He clarified that under Parliament’s Standing Orders, any change in leadership must be communicated to the Speaker by the general secretary of the concerned political party.
Mr Bagbin made these remarks as Parliament reconvened and he read the President’s communication regarding Mr Agalga’s appointment to Members of Parliament on the Floor of the House. He stressed the importance of following the prescribed procedure to grant Mr Agalga the recognition associated with the position of Majority Leader.
The Speaker explained that the Standing Orders define the Majority Leader as an MP designated by the Majority Caucus as its leader in the House. He pointed out that the communication was marked as ‘acting’ because the President lacks the authority to convey such leadership changes to the Speaker. This issue has been addressed multiple times, leading to clearer definitions in the current Standing Orders.
Mr Bagbin further noted that Mr Agalga, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Builsa North, could only assume the role following the receipt of appropriate communication from the party and the formal conveyance of the Majority Caucus’s decision to the House. He highlighted that the current Majority Leader remains in his position until the party and caucus formally communicate any changes.
This clarification comes in response to President Mahama’s announcement of Mr Agalga as the new Majority Leader, intended to replace Mr Mahama Ayariga, who has been nominated for the position of Minister-designate for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs.