A former United Nations Senior Governance Advisor, Prof Baffour Agyeman-Duah, has voiced strong disappointment over the ongoing standoff in Parliament, calling it a significant threat to democratic stability.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Monday, November 11, he stressed that the deadlock has dragged on far too long, especially as the country approaches an election and critical government business is stalled.

“It is very unfortunate that this case has dragged this far to this level. Where now the Supreme Court has to make a pronouncement. We are in a crisis so we must find a way to resolve this matter. The standoff is not good for our democracy,” he said.

The standoff, which has brought Parliament’s operations to a halt, has raised concerns about the state of governance as the nation heads to the polls.

The advisor highlighted that prolonged disputes at such a high level of government create uncertainty and erode public confidence in democratic institutions.

Calling on the Speaker to take a more statesmanlike approach, he urged the Speaker to allow government business to proceed and to avoid further escalating tensions.

“The Speaker, when it comes to constitutional interpretation, cannot overrule the Supreme Court—period,” he asserted.

He therefore urged the Speaker to set aside personal considerations for the greater good of democracy, advising the Majority Leader to remain steadfast in seeking a resolution.

The former advisor also criticised claims that there is “no crisis,” pointing out the visible impact on governance with Parliament essentially in deadlock.

“If he says there is no crisis, it does not reflect the reality on the ground. The fact is, Parliament is closed. This is a serious constitutional crisis. I can’t recall a time when there was such opposition between the Speaker of Parliament and the Supreme Court over an issue like this. It’s a bit of a mess.”