An X user by name Abdul Hameed has criticized the Attorney General, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, over his letter addressed to the Speaker on Thursday, March 21, regarding the suspension of the vetting process for ministerial nominations.
The letter clarified that no legal documents related to court proceedings had been served to the Attorney General.
In the letter, Mr. Dame pointed out that there was no application for interlocutory injunction to restrain the Speaker from proceeding with the vetting and approval of nominees presented by the President.
“The plaintiff has not filed an application for interlocutory injunction seeking to restrain the Speaker from proceeding with the vetting and approval of the names of the persons submitted by His Excellency the President…”, or indeed, any other interlocutory relief.
“Thus, there is nothing before the Supreme Court which may constitute a restraint or fetter on Parliament from proceeding with the approval of ministerial and deputy ministerial nominees presented to Parliament by the President in accordance with articles 78(1) and 79(1) of the Constitution,” Godfred Dame stated.
However, Abdul Hameed took issue with a spelling mistake in the letterhead, noting the use of ‘nominees’ instead of ‘nominess.’
The suspension of the vetting process came after MP Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor reportedly filed an interlocutory injunction at the Supreme Court.
Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin cited this lawsuit as the reason for halting the vetting process, as it legally hindered Parliament from proceeding with the nominations.
“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.”
The Attorney General emphasized that since no injunction had been filed, Parliament should continue with the vetting and approval of Ministers and Deputy Ministers nominated by the President.
He clarified that the lawsuit by Mr. Dafeamekpor was a challenge to the President’s power to reassign Ministers, not related to the approval process outlined in the constitution.
“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.”