Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has declined a request by Okaikwei Central MP, Patrick Yaw Boamah, to be removed from Ghana’s delegation to the Pan-African Parliament.
Boamah, who was named to the delegation as an observer, submitted a formal memo questioning the basis of his inclusion in that limited role.
He cited the established 68:32 formula used for distributing committee and delegation seats between the Majority and Minority caucuses, arguing that the Minority is entitled to two full representatives.
“I respectfully withdraw from the reconstituted list of Ghana’s delegation to the Pan-African Parliament as an Observer,” Boamah wrote, referencing Parliament’s resolution passed on July 22, 2025.
“My checks with the Pan-African Parliament Secretariat indicate that observers are not permitted to participate in plenary or committee meetings only to attend when allowed.”
Boamah contended that being assigned observer status violates the agreed formula and said he was stepping aside to avoid causing “any potential embarrassment” to Parliament and the country.
Currently, Ghana’s delegation is led by First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor, with Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Collins Dauda, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, and Frank Annoh-Dompreh serving as full members. Boamah is the only member listed as an observer.
In response, Speaker Bagbin acknowledged Boamah’s concerns but stressed that the list had already been formally adopted by the House and could not be altered without a substantive motion.
“Once Parliament has passed a resolution, it becomes binding,” Bagbin stated.
“Any change must be effected through a formal motion before the House. Until then, the resolution remains in force.”
Boamah’s withdrawal leaves the Minority with only one representative on the delegation far below the expected two.
Minority MPs argue this undermines their constitutionally guaranteed share of international representation, and accuse the Speaker of enabling the Majority to override fair parliamentary procedure.
Sources within the Minority say this is the first time in the Pan-African Parliament’s history that Ghana’s Minority Caucus has had just a single representative, a development they consider a clear breach of the established formula and a denial of their rightful participation.
For the Minority, the issue goes beyond numbers.
They insist it’s about principle, fair representation, adherence to rules, and resisting what they see as a deliberate effort to sideline their role in Ghana’s parliamentary diplomacy.
