Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has decided to halt the consideration of Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State nominated by President Akufo-Addo.
This decision comes after an interlocutory injunction was filed at the Supreme Court by MP for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Etse K. Dafeamekpor.
This injunction has prevented Parliament from approving new ministers nominated by the President.
Bagbin’s action follows a directive from the presidency, which issued a cease and desist letter to Parliament, instructing them not to send the Bill on Human Sexual Rights and Family Values for President Akufo-Addo’s approval.
The presidency cited an ongoing interlocutory application at the Supreme Court as the reason for their directive.
Bagbin, in an official statement, emphasized Parliament’s inability to move forward with the approval of new ministers under similar circumstances.
The “ongoing scenario poses a grave threat to our legislative authority and, by extension, the democratic principles we strive to uphold. The implications of such executive actions extend far beyond the immediate legislative items at hand. They erode the foundational checks and balances that our forebearers painstakingly established to ensure a vibrant and functioning democracy.”
Bagbin added that “The Parliament of Ghana will comply with the existing legal framework and reject the attempts by the Executive Secretary of the President, through his contemptuous letter, to instruct the Clerk to Parliament, an Officer of Parliament whose position is recognizably under the Constitution. We shall not cease and desist!
“Be that as it may, Hon Members, I also bring to your attention, the receipt of a process from the Courts titled Rockson-Nelson Etse K. Dafeamekpor vrs. The Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney -General ( Suit no. J1/12/2024) which process was served on the 19th of March 2024 and an injunction motion on notice seeking to restrain the Speaker from proceeding with the vetting and approval of the names of the persons submitted by His Excellency the President until the provisions of the constitution are satisfied.
“Hon. Members in the light of this process, the House is unable to continue to consider the nominations of His Excellency the President in the “spirit of upholding the rule of law “ until after the determination of the application for interlocutory injunction by the Supreme Court.”
Source: Citinewsroom.com