News:
October 18, 2024
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus in Parliament has said the Speaker Rt. Hon Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin’s ruling is dangerous and unprecedented threatening the very foundation of the nation’s constitutional democracy.
In a statement, they pointed out that, the ruling attempts to unconstitutionally reconfigure the composition of Parliament, potentially shifting the balance of power of the House through, extra-legal means.
Whiles the ruling affects members from both sides of the aisle; it disproportionately impacts the Majority, raising serious questions about its impartiality and motivations.
The statement further pointed out that, the speaker’s action constitutes a clear usurpation of powers vested in the Supreme Court of Ghana under article 2(1) and 130 of the 1992 constitution.
As the provision explicitly empower the Supreme Court with the authority to interpret and enforce constitutional matters and the speakers action contravene Article 99 (1) of the constitution, which vests the High court with jurisdiction to determine questions of parliamentary membership validity.
By pre-emptively ruling on the issue, the Speaker has egregiously undermined the separation of powers that is fundamental to Ghana’s democracy.
The statement also described as troubling the fact that the Speaker proceeded with the ruling despite being fully aware that the matter of the meaning and effect of Article 94 (1) (g) was pending before the Supreme Court.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com