Majority abusing ‘certificate of urgency’ tool in Parliament – Patricia Appiagyei

Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Patricia Appiagyei, has accused the Majority Caucus of abusing Parliament’s “certificate of urgency” procedure to fast-track legislation without adequate scrutiny.

Addressing a news conference in Parliament on Friday, Madam Appiagyei said the Minority Caucus was concerned that about 33 bills had been processed under certificates of urgency, a mechanism traditionally reserved for genuine national emergencies.

“The Minority Caucus raises the following concerns: Approximately 33 bills were fast-tracked under certificate of urgency, a mechanism traditionally reserved for genuine national emergencies,” she said.

“The Minority considers this as an abuse of the democratic process and a violation of the spirit of Parliamentary deliberations.”

A certificate of urgency is a parliamentary procedure that allows lawmakers to bypass some of the standard legislative timelines and processes in order to pass bills quickly.

The mechanism is usually invoked in situations where delayed legislative action could negatively affect public welfare, national security or the economy.

Madam Appiagyei further accused the Majority Caucus of adopting what she described as an authoritarian style of governance in Parliament.

“Two, the Majority governance style has been authoritarian,” she stated.

The Deputy Minority Leader also criticised the delay in bringing the anti-LGBTQ bill to a formal vote despite what she described as strong bipartisan and public backing for the legislation.

“The LGBTQ bill, despite strong public bipartisan support and the NDC’s own campaign commitment, was not brought to a formal vote in 2025,” she said.

“The Minority finds this delay deeply troubling and will remain vigilant to ensure that the bill is not quietly diluted and shelved.”