Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has rejected a request by Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, to be removed from Ghana’s delegation to the Pan-African Parliament.
Mr. Boamah, who has been added to the delegation as an observer, in a memo to the Speaker, questioned the basis for his status as an observer given the agreed formula for selection by the Minority Caucus.
“Speaker, I respectfully write to formally withdraw from the reconstituted list of Ghana’s delegation to the Pan-African Parliament as an observer as adopted by the House in a resolution on Tuesday, 22nd July, 2025, as evidenced in the copy of the attached votes and proceedings of Tuesday, 22nd July, 2025.
“Mr. Speaker, my checks with the Pan-African Parliament Secretariat indicate that observers are not permitted to participate at plenary or in committee meetings. Observers are only permitted to attend upon meeting.”
Patrick Boamah’s decision followed Parliament’s reconstitution of the delegation to the Pan-African Parliament after adopting a resolution on 22nd July, 2025.
He further contended that his inclusion in the delegation as a full member is a matter of rights, based on the established formula for committees and delegations, which entitles the Minority Caucus to two representatives.
“Mr. Speaker, under the established formula for committees and delegations, my inclusion is by right, as the Minority Caucus is entitled to two representatives. The 68:32 ratio—which guided the allocation of committee memberships—was equally applied in constituting the ECOWAS Parliament delegation,” he argued.
Boamah added that his decision to withdraw as an observer is “to avoid any potential embarrassment to the Parliament of Ghana and Ghanaians as a whole.”
The newly reconstituted delegation to the Pan-African Parliament had First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor as leader, with Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Collins Dauda, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, and Frank Annoh-Dompreh serving as members, while Patrick Boamah had been designated as an observer.
But in a response to the memo from the Okaikwei Central MP, the Speaker, though conceding the concerns raised, argued the resolution adopted by Parliament stands. According to him, the decision can only be reversed through a substantive motion.
“As you are aware, the composition of Ghana’s delegation to the Pan-African Parliament was duly adopted by the plenary, following the established procedures of the House. Once Parliament has passed a resolution, it becomes binding, and any variation to that decision must be effected through a formal motion brought before the House. Until such a motion is considered and adopted, the resolution remains in force,” Bagbin said in response.
The decision by the Speaker means the Minority now has only a single member on Ghana’s delegation to the Pan-African Parliament, in clear violation of the agreed ratio.
Starr News has gathered the Minority Caucus is not happy about the development.
The NPP MPs feel the Speaker is unfairly aiding the Majority to use its numbers to muscle their way through in flagrant violation of due process.
This is the first time in the history of the Pan-African Parliament where the Minority Caucus has only one representation.
This decision is a clear denial of the Minority’s rightful entitlement under the established formula agreed by the Committee of Selection.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
