Parliament is broke: Speaker locks down house over financial crisis

The Parliament of Ghana has been thrown into uncertainty after Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, indefinitely suspended the reopening of the House, citing “circumstances beyond his control.”

However, credible sources within Parliament say the real reason behind the move is a severe financial crisis that has left the legislative body unable to operate effectively.

According to insider information, funds meant for the administrative and operational activities of Parliament have not been released by the Ministry of Finance, leaving the Speaker frustrated.

The financial constraints, sources say, have crippled essential parliamentary functions, including committee work, staff payments, and maintenance of parliamentary facilities.

Initially, the Speaker had announced that Parliament would resume sittings on Monday, October 14, 2025, to begin the Third Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

However, in a sudden turn of events, a formal notice issued from the Speaker’s office on October 6, 2025, deferred the reopening “until further notice.”

The official letter, signed by Rt. Hon. Bagbin and distributed to Members of Parliament (MPs) and parliamentary departments, read:

“Pursuant to the notice to summon Parliament dated 29th September 2025, I, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Speaker of Parliament, hereby give notice that the commencement of the Third Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic is deferred until further notice due to circumstances beyond my control.”

Although the Speaker’s statement did not explicitly mention financial issues, multiple parliamentary sources confirmed that the decision was driven by the government’s delay in releasing statutory funds.

The Speaker, reportedly angered by the situation, is said to have insisted that Parliament cannot resume work without adequate financial support.

“The House is broke,” one senior official told this reporter on condition of anonymity. “There’s no funds for committee sittings, and logistics for the reopening haven’t been secured. The Speaker believes Parliament cannot function under these conditions.”

This development marks the latest episode in a growing tension between the Legislature and the Executive over the financial autonomy of Parliament.

Speaker Bagbin has, on several occasions, complained about what he describes as “executive interference” and budgetary strangulation of the institution he leads.

In 2023 and 2024, similar confrontations emerged when Parliament’s budgetary allocation was slashed by the Ministry of Finance, prompting the Speaker to warn that such actions threatened the independence of the legislative arm of government.

He has repeatedly emphasized that Parliament must be adequately resourced to perform its constitutional mandate of oversight and lawmaking.

The timing of this latest standoff is particularly sensitive, as the House was expected to reconvene to deliberate on key national matters — including the presentation of the 2026 Budget Statement, consideration of pending bills, and committee reports on government expenditure.

Some MPs, especially from the Minority side, have described the situation as a “constitutional embarrassment.”

They argue that the government’s failure to fund Parliament undermines democratic accountability and transparency.

Meanwhile, sources close to the Speaker reveal Bagbin is considering consultations with the Parliamentary Service Board and key leadership of both Majority and Minority sides before deciding on a new date for reopening.

Until then, the corridors of Parliament remain locked, with no official business taking place.