Later today, Wednesday, March 27, 2024, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a writ filed by Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Etse K. Dafeamekpor, seeking to restrain the Speaker of Parliament and the Chamber from vetting and approving certain ministers of State referred to the House for consideration and appointments.
Dafeamekpor is also seeking a declaration that any ministerial appointment not subject to prior parliamentary approval violates Article 78(1) of the 1992 Constitution.
Filed on March 18, 2024, against the Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney General, the legislator argues that “a Minister of State shall be appointed by the president with the prior approval of Parliament.”
He contends that the president’s failure to refer some reassigned ministers to Parliament violates constitutional provisions.
According to EIB Network Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, a panel of seven justices is expected to handle this constitutional matter.
The plaintiff seeks 11 reliefs, including seven declarations and four orders. These include directing the President to submit to Parliament for approval the names of ministers whose appointments were revoked or terminated on February 14, 2024, and who were subsequently reassigned to other ministerial offices.
Additionally, Dafeamekpor seeks an interlocutory injunction restraining the Speaker of Parliament from vetting and approving the nominees until parliamentary approval is obtained for the ministers whose appointments were revoked.
He also seeks a perpetual injunction to prevent the Speaker from vetting and approving nominees until parliamentary approval is obtained for the reassigned ministers.
“An order directing the President of the Republic of Ghana to submit to Parliament for approval, the names of the Ministers of State and the Deputy Minister of State whose appointments were revoked or terminated on the 14th of February, 2024 and who were subsequently supposedly re-assigned to other Ministerial and Deputy Ministerial offices for purposes of appointment as Ministers of State and Deputy Minister of State.
“An order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Speaker of Parliament, the 1st Defendant herein, from proceeding with the vetting and approval of thenames of the nominees of the President submitted to Parliament until the requirement that a Minister of State shall be appointed by the President with the prior approval of Parliament is satisfied in respect to the Ministers of State and the Deputy Minister of State whose appointments were revoked on the 14th of February, 2024 have been re-assigned new Ministerial and Deputy Ministerial offices.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Speaker of Parliament, 1st Defendant herein, from proceeding with the vetting and approval of the names of the nominees of the Presidential submitted to Parliament until the requirement that a Minister of State shall be appointed by the President with the prior approval of Parliament si satisfied in respect to the Ministers of State and the Deputy Minister of State whose appointments were revoked on the 14th of February, 2024 and have been re-assigned new Ministerial and Deputy Ministerial offices.”