Supreme Court Dismisses Dafeamekpor's Suit Against Ministerial Vetting Process

• The Supreme Court has dismissed South Dayi MP Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor's injunction application against the ministerial vetting process
• Dafeamekpor was seeking for the Supreme Court to declare the President's authority to reassign ministers without parliamentary approval unconstitutional
• The court refused, stating that the action was constitutional

The Supreme Court has thrown out an application for injunction filed by the Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor.

The application sought to challenge the approval of President Akufo-Addo’s new ministerial and deputy ministerial nominees.

Dafeamekpor, in his suit, argued that the President should have sought parliamentary approval before reassigning ministers whose appointments were revoked.

This follows Akufo-Addo’s ministerial reshuffle on February 14, 2024, which saw 13 ministers and ten deputy ministers relieved of their posts.

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Six were reassigned to other ministerial portfolios and were not scheduled to face Parliament’s vetting committee.

Application dismissed

However, the Supreme Court unanimously rejected the application by the South Dayi MP.

It argued that the President had the constitutional prerogative to make such appointments.

This judgement was, however, given in the absence of the lawyers for the plaintiff.

It was revealed in court that the plaintiff's lawyers had directed their staff not to receive court documents about the case, including the notice of hearing and the Attorney General’s opposition to a temporary court order.

As a result, both the plaintiff and his lawyers were absent from the proceedings.

The Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, said the conduct of the plaintiff and his counsel towards the court was grossly disrespectful and professional misconduct.

The court heard the temporary court order application anyway and allowed it to proceed.

NDC accuses Supreme Court of Judicial bias

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Before the hearing, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) accused the Supreme Court of judicial bias.

This was due to the decision by the court to hear Dafeamekpor’s case first before those challenging the legality of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.

According to them, those should have been heard first because the suits against the anti-LGBT bill were filed before the ministerial injunction application.

The General Secretary of the party, Fifi Kwetey, says the scheduling of the cases undermines the principle of judicial independence and points to a potential government-biased Supreme Court.

Parliament suspends ministerial vetting procedures

YEN.com.gh had earlier reported that due to Dafeamekpor’s injunction application, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, suspended the vetting and approval process.

He said the process would only continue after the Supreme Court has resolved the issue.

Source: YEN.com.gh