ACCRA — Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker for Assin South, alleged on Friday that Speaker Alban Bagbin has failed to reconvene Ghana’s Parliament due to a deliberate withholding of funds by President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, intensifying a standoff that has left the legislative body in indefinite recess.
Parliament was scheduled to resume from its October break on October 14, but Bagbin announced an indefinite postponement earlier this week, citing unresolved logistical and financial hurdles. Rev. Fordjour, who serves as Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee, described the delay as a “wild” tactic to undermine the opposition-led chamber. “The truth is, there are no funds allocated for Parliament to sit. The President has not released any money for our activities,” he told reporters in Accra, accusing the executive of using fiscal leverage to stall proceedings amid pending debates on the 2026 budget and key appointments.
The claim, which Fordjour labeled as “explosive”, echoes earlier tensions between the legislature and executive. Roots of the dispute trace to January 2025, when negotiations between then-President Nana Akufo-Addo and Bagbin set emoluments for Parliament, while the house determined allocations for the executive, judiciary and Council of State. Under Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, installed after December 2024 elections, the opposition NPP holds a slim majority in the 9th Parliament, complicating government agendas.
Speaker Bagbin, an NDC veteran elected Speaker in 2021, has defended the adjournment as necessary for “administrative readiness,” denying political motives. He has e urged the Finance Ministry, in a statement, to expedite disbursements, noting that Parliament’s operations require over 50 million cedis ($3.2 million) monthly for salaries, utilities and security. “We cannot convene without resources; this is not about politics but functionality,” Bagbin said during a media briefing.
Rev. Fordjour’s outburst follows a pattern of friction involving him and Speaker Bagbin. In April, the National Intelligence Bureau sought Bagbin’s approval to question over the legislator’s allegations of drug trafficking and money laundering tied to suspicious flights, prompting the Minority Caucus to petition the Speaker against perceived harassment. The Minority, led by Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh, reiterated concerns on Friday, warning that funding delays could erode parliamentary independence.
Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu has dismissed Fordjour’s remarks as “baseless sensationalism,” attributing delays to routine budgetary processes. “Parliament receives its allocations as per the Consolidated Fund Act; any shortfall is being addressed,” Ofosu said, adding that Mahama’s “Reset Ghana” initiative prioritizes fiscal prudence post-debt crisis.
The impasse risks derailing legislative priorities, including IMF-aligned reforms and anti-corruption probes under the Operation Recover All Loot committee. Civil society groups, including the Ghana Bar Association, have called for dialogue to avert a constitutional crisis, with some analysts speculating Speaker Bagbin might invoke emergency powers if unresolved.
Barring any unforseen contingencies, the House is likely to reconvene on the 21st of October 2025. This was contained in a press statement released by the Office of the Speaker of Parliament.
