Parliament Suspends Consideration of Akufo-Addo's Ministerial Nominees
- Parliament has suspended the vetting and approval process of Akufo-Addo's ministerial and deputy ministerial nominees
- This follows an interlocutory injunction filed against the process by the MP for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor
- This is retaliation to the presidency's earlier directive that the anti-LGBT bill should not be brought to the Jubilee House
The vetting and approval process of persons nominated to ministerial and deputy ministerial positions by the President has hit a snag.
This follows the suspension of the parliamentary process by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin, after he was served with a court process that prevented him and the Parliament of Ghana from continuing with the process.
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He said that in keeping with the rule of law, Parliament will wait for the applications to be determined by the Supreme Court before the process continues.
The application for an interlocutory injunction on the ongoing vetting process was filed by the Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, at the Supreme Court.
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According to the application, the process must halt until the constitution's provisions are satisfied.
Presidency refrains Parliament from presenting anti-LGBT bill
The application for an interlocutory injunction on the ongoing vetting process is in relation to the President’s directive to Parliament to desist from transmitting the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill to the Jubilee House.
The president’s secretary had informed the Clerk of Parliament that the Attorney General had advised against taking any action in relation to the anti-LGBT bill.
The bill faces two challenges at the Supreme Court filed by persons who argue the passage of the anti-LGBT bill was unconstitutional and should be declared null and void.
They had also filed an application injuncting Parliament from transmitting the bill to the President and another that restrains the president from accepting the bill should Parliament go ahead to present it.
The President had argued that should he overlook the applications and accept the bill, his actions would undermine the court’s authority; thus, Parliament should halt all attempts to submit the bill until after the apex court has given a pronouncement on the matter.
Speaker describes the Presidency's letter as unconstitutional
However, reacting to the letter in Parliament on March 20, 2024, Alban Bagbin stated that it posed a grave threat to Ghana’s democracy.
According to him, the letter's substance not only deviates from established democratic practices but also undermines the spirit of cooperative governance and mutual respect for the organs 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 said.
Dafeamekpor describes the Presidency’s letter as condescending
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that the South Dayi MP, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, said the letter from the Jubilee House refraining Parliament from presenting the anti-LGBT bill to the President smacks of condescension.
He said the action is unconstitutional and presents the legislature as subservient to the executive.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
