Speaker had legal ground to suspend approval of new ministers – Edudzi Tameklo
Legal Team Member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, has said that the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, had a legal basis for suspending the approval of ministers and deputy ministers of state appointed by President Akufo-Addo.
Backing the speaker’s decision, Lawyer Tameklo, explained that relief 9 of the suit filed by Mr Dafeamekpor at the Supreme Court was seeking an interlocutory injunction on the vetting and approval process, hence the decision by the Speaker was therefore not in error.
“Relief 9 of Mr Dafeamekpor’s writ reads, “an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Speaker of Parliament, the first defendant therein from proceeding with the vetting and approval of the names of the nominees submitted by the President”
“That was the relief. So it is on this basis that the Speaker grounded his action. So as at that time, the Speaker was not in error if he based his action on that,” he explained.
Mr Tameklo’s comments follow assertions by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, that Parliament is not restrained from proceeding with the vetting and approval process of the new ministers and deputy ministers.
According to Mr Dame, Parliament faced no risk of prejudice to the authority of the Supreme Court if it continued with the approval processes for nominees.
He argued that the substance of Mr. Dafeamekpor’s suit, challenging the President’s power to relieve ministers, did not affect the approval of newly nominated ministers and deputy ministers as the constitution prescribes.
“The substance of Mr Dafeamekpor’s suit is a challenge on the power of the President to relieve Ministers serving in his government of their portfolios and reassign them to different Ministries.
“It has no bearing on the approval of persons newly nominated by the President as Ministers and Deputy Ministers and duly presented to Parliament for approval in accordance with articles 78(1) and 79 (1) of the constitution,” he clarified.
But Lawyer Tameklo disagrees with his assertions. According to him, President Nana Akufo-Addo was rather in error when he refused to assent to the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill.
“Our President on the 4th of March met the Diplomatic Community. When he met them, he said he was unable to sign the bill passed by Parliament on 28th of February on the basis that there were two pending injunctions.
“But as at that time were there any injunctions by either Amanda or Richard Sky? No. In fact Richard Sky had not even filed his suit,” he added.