Parliament has suspended the consideration of the nomination of Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State by President Akufo-Addo.
This follows an interlocutory injunction filed at the Supreme Court by MP for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor.
In his final address to the House before adjourning sitting on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin said the lawsuit makes it impossible for Parliament to vet and process the new ministers nominated by President Akufo-Addo.
“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,” he explained.
The directive by the Speaker follows a letter addressed to Parliament and signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, on Monday, March 18, 2024.
In the letter sighted by JoyNews, the Presidency had requested Parliament to refrain from sending the anti-gay bill to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his assent.
The decision, according to Nana Bediatuo Asante, stems from the acknowledgment of two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction before the Supreme Court.
The letter emphasised that it would be improper for Parliament to proceed with transmitting the Bill to President Akufo-Addo for any action until the matters before the court are addressed.
Furthermore, it was disclosed that the Attorney-General has advised the President against taking any action regarding the Bill until the issues raised in the legal suits are resolved by the Supreme Court.
But reacting to this, Speaker Alban Bagbin described the development as a threat to Ghana’s democracy.
He argued that the President’s directive does not only deviate from established democratic practices but also undermines the spirit of cooperative governance.
“The behaviour exhibited by the Presidency in refusing to accept the transmission of this bill not only deviates from established democratic practices but also undermines the spirit of cooperative governance and mutual respect for the arms of government. The President’s refusal to accept the transmission of the bill is, by all accounts, not supported by the constitutional and statutory provisions that guide our legislative process,” he stressed.
