Speaker of Ghana's Parliament Mike Aaron Oquaye (R) welcomes US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (L) at the Ghana's parliament, in Accra, on July 31, 2019 for a three-day visit to the country to mark the 400 years anniversary since the first slave shipment left the Ghana's coast for United States. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi condemned the "grave evil" of slavery in a speech to Ghana's parliament marking 400 years since the first shipment of enslaved Africans to America. Pelosi was leading a delegation including members of the Congressional Black Caucus to the West African country, four centuries after the first slave ship arrived in Jamestown, Virginia from the continent. (Photo by Natalija GORMALOVA / AFP)
Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament Mike Aaron Oquaye (R) welcomes US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (L) at the Ghana’s parliament, in Accra, on July 31, 2019 for a three-day visit to the country to mark the 400 years anniversary since the first slave shipment left the Ghana’s coast for United States. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi condemned the “grave evil” of slavery in a speech to Ghana’s parliament marking 400 years since the first shipment of enslaved Africans to America. Pelosi was leading a delegation including members of the Congressional Black Caucus to the West African country, four centuries after the first slave ship arrived in Jamestown, Virginia from the continent. (Photo by Natalija GORMALOVA / AFP)
Ghana’s supreme court on Wednesday overturned a decision that had shut down parliament just months ahead of elections.
Last week, parliament speaker Alban Bagbin declared four parliamentary seats vacant.
The move effectively halted all legislative activity less than two months before the country’s general elections, which is set to be a tight race against a backdrop of economic recovery following a severe financial crisis.
But on Wednesday, the country’s supreme court overturned the move.
“Given the irreparable harm that could be caused to the constituencies — comprising hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians… it is necessary for this court to address this dispute promptly,” Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo said.
Ghana is a country in west Africa that is often seen as a beacon of political stability in a region prone to unrest.
The crisis was triggered by a standoff between President Nana Akufo-Addo’s ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), which gained a slim majority after the defection of four lawmakers.
Ghana’s constitution bars MPs from defecting from the party they were elected under to run for another party or as independents.
The seats the speaker declared vacant included two from the NPP, one from the NDC, and one independent MP.
Ghana is due to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7.
