The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says the unanimous decision taken by the Supreme Court, in its ruling of Wednesday, 9th March 2022, on the voting rights of Deputy Speakers, should put the matter to rest.
According to President Akufo-Addo, he was surprised by the furore that was generated on whether or not Deputy Speakers of Parliament could vote, once they were presiding in the chamber.
In an interview with Charles Takyi Boadu of the Daily Guide Newspaper, on Thursday, 10th March 2022, on the sidelines of Dubai Expo 2020, the President stated that “as far as I can see it, and I think the Supreme Court has confirmed it, the matters involved in this are open and shut, they are black and white. There can be no dispute about the issues that the gentleman took to the Supreme Court.”
He indicated that Articles 102, 104 of the Constitution make it absolutely clear, “in black and white”, that the Deputy Speakers, when they are presiding have the right to participate in the vote of the Parliament.
“Indeed, and I believe that is part of the reasoning of the Court, all the Legislatures of the world, where the presiding person is a Member of the Legislature, like our Deputy Speakers are, like the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the United States of America or the President pro tempore of the Senate in the United States, or the Speaker of the British Parliament have the right to speak because they are Members of the Assembly,” President Akufo-Addo said.
He continued, “Our Speaker is expressly not a Member of the Assembly, that is why he doesn’t have the right to vote. In fact, he really ought not to participate in the deliberations of the House, he is a referee making sure that the debate is conducted properly, or the orders of the House are complied with. That is his role. But he ought, strictly speaking, not to be part of the proceedings of the House. That is not the case with the Deputy Speakers, and that matter is transparent on the face of our Constitution”.
The President noted that even the Presiding Members in the country’s District Assemblies have the right to vote, because they are members of the Assembly.
“Once you’re a member of the Assembly, and you’re representing certain constituencies. If you are denied your right to vote, it is tantamount to denying the right of the people you represent to have a say in the decisions of the Assembly. That will not be right. So, I could not understand what the furore and controversy that was artificially generated,” he added.
Commenting on Constitutional Matters
With this being the first time President Akufo-Addo has commented on a ruling of the Court, he stated that he has made deliberate efforts, as much as possible, not to comment on constitutional issues in the country.
“People who are students of our constitutional law, our constitutional jurisprudence, are very much aware of the role that I played when I was a barrister in helping to define some of its basic rules of interpretation. I think that now I have become President, if every time there is a constitutional matter, I’m heard to pronounce on it, it will give the impression that I am setting myself up as some ‘rival Supreme Court. I am very reluctant to do that, for that reason,” he said.
The President explained further that the body that the constitution has set up to be responsible for declaring the meaning of the constitution, i.e. interpreting and enforcing it, is the Judiciary, with the Supreme Court at its apex.
“As a matter of good governance, it is better that that body, which has been given this exclusive power, is the one that is heard on constitutional issues, and that is the reason why I have not been open or vocal on constitutional matters. But I feel this one I should make some comments,” he added.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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OH NDC IGNOOOORACE IS DEASE SO WHAT ARE THEY TELLING THE YOUTH IN GHANA IGNOOOOORANCE UNRULLY, ARROOOOGANT. THIS CASE WAS CLEAR AS A DAYLIGHT SO WHY ARE STILL CANNOT UNDERSTAND, IS THE SAME IN GHANA, SAME IN AUSTRALIA,CANADA, AMERICA, BRITAIN, KENYA, SOUTH AFRICA. EVEN A STUDENT MARKING CLASS REGISTER WILL MARK STUDENTS IN THE CLASS WHO ARE PRENT AND MARK HIMSELF TOO SO WHERE DO THESE NDC UNDUCATED NEED TO UNDERSTAN LOOOOOOSERS LEADERS. DO YOUR RESEARCH AND YOU WILL SEE IT. THEY STILL TALKING TO MEDIA THAT THEY WILL NOT AGREED TO IT IN PARLIAMENT. IT A SHAME WE HAVE A PARTY THAT IS SO IGNOOOOORANT THAT IS NOT FUNNY. EVEN SO CALLED LAWYERS AMONG IS VERY SICCK. NDC SO IGNOOOOOOORANT, LOOOOOOOOSERS THEY DON'T EVEN UNDERSTANT THE CONSTITUTION, CANNOT EVEN INTERPRATE THE LAW. AGAIN INEVERYTHING THEY HAVE NO SOLUTION EXCEPT CRITISIMS SUCH LOOOOOOSERS LEADERS AND LOOOOOTERS.
IN ABSENCE OF THE SPEAKER, THE SPEAKER WOULD DELEGATE OR INFORM THE DEPUTIES OF HIS ABSENCE AND FOR THAT MATTER EMPOWER DEPUTIES TO ACT IN HIS ABSENCE WITH AUTHORITY. TO AVOID CONFUSION WHERE THE DEPUTY SPEAKERS WOULD BE STEPPING BEYOND THEIR BOUNDS, WHERE THEY CAN CHAIR PARLIAMENT AS ACTING SPEAKER/S , VOTE AND PARTICIPATE IN A DEBATE WHILST ACTING IN ABSENCE OF THE SUBSTANTIVE SPEAKER. TO GIVE TRUE AND PROPER MEANING TO THE SUPREME 7 RECENTDECISION. SPEAKER SHOULD NOT DELEGATE OR SHOULD NOT WRITE TO INFORM THE DEPUTY SPEAK TO ACT AND A VACCUM WOULD BE CREATED. THE DEPUTY SPEAKERS CANNOT AUTOMATICALLY ACT WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION,FORMAL LETTER, DELEGATION OF DUTY,EXPRESS PERMISSION FROM SPEAKERS OFFICE. MINORITY SHOULD DEMAND A PROPER AND OFFICIAL LETTER FROM THE DEPUTY SPEAKERS BEFORE THERE ACT. IF NO DELEGATION OF DUTY OR OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION FROM SPEAKER OFFICE NO ACTING SHOULD BE ENTERTAINED. NDC AND SPEAKER MUST GO FULL LENGTH BY DELIBERATE NOT DELEGATING OR OFFICIAL INFORM THE DEPUTIES WHEN ABSENT FROM PARLIAMENT AND LET SEE WHETHER THE DEPUTIES CAN ACT AUTOMATICAL. IF YOU DO NOT GET THE LETTER WHICH CONVEY COMMUNICATION TO DRAW YOUR POWERS TO ACT AS DEPUTY, VACUM IS CREATED, THE INTERPRETATION OF THE SUPREME 7 IS OF NO MATERIAL EFFECT. LET SEE WHETHER SUPREME 7 WILL COMPEL THE SPEAKER TO OFFICIAL COMMUNICATE TO THE DEPUTIES.
This man is not smart at all, he doesn't even understand that putting his mouth in this matter would give credence to the suspicion that he is in cahoots with the judiciary. A wise president will stay away from commenting on judiciary verdicts.
Your Excellency, we are seriously suffering from shortage of water at nungua. we understand its the road construction.we are seriously suffering for about a month no pipe flow of water.please help us as we cant even access water to bath
Excellent commentary and this indeed shows that president Akuffo Addo then as a lawyer was brilliant and no wonder he has a legacy at the Law books. His contribution gives a lot of hope for the young once who wants to pursue the law professional training. He is a role model and an inspirator in life.
TEN GOLDEN STEPS TO AVOID E LEVY LEGALLY: The incidence of the E Levy/tax is on the sender. Ten principles of digitalizing and avoiding the incidence on the sender by genuinely allowing your receiver “cash out” agreed money on your wallet with your approval/consent through the following simple steps. 1.Either Deposits your money or transfer from you bank into u wallet which is currently free/CAPPED @GH10/cheaper than 1.5% on the principal/money if you momo or directly transferred money to the receiver eg(1.5% mom tax on GH¢ 7000 being momo)= GH¢105 MOMO TAX. 2. SMS/WHATSUP your contact no, voter I'd no to u recipient to go to a known vendor/VENDOR 'S NAME KNOWN TO THE SENDER. 3. While on phone / video call with u recipient who is right in front of a vendor FOR CONFIRMATION. Your recipient will give your cell no (senders cell no) to the vendor to commence ‘’ ALLOW CASH OUT’’ process ostensibly ON THE SENDER"S cell no. Simultaneously, the SENDER/u will initiate “CASH OUT” processes. 4.communicate exact/agreed amount to withdraw to u recipient/vendor. 5.Few minutes later, a prompt from u recipient/vendor to u /SENDER on your phone to confirm WITHRAWAL. 6. Cash will be paid to your brother/recipient who is at vendor's end as if u were there physically 7. NO E LEVY WAHALA 8. Transfers charges (only withdrawal charges) 9. Tip the vendor 10. Smart Digital withdrawal technology.
Very sad. It’s a common knowledge that every MP has that inalienable right to debate and vote on an issue on the floor. However, for the sake of fairness, equity, justice etc, anyone presiding as per the standing orders cannot vote nor actively participate in a debate on the floor. Long tested parliamentary norm. A fair minded supreme court should not be so quick and loud on the voting right alone but should be equally be concern on the deputy speaker’s right to actively participate in a debate whilst presiding?. # RESTORE THE DEPUTY SPEAKER RIGHT TO ENGAGE IN ACTIVATE DEBATE ON THE FLOOR WHILST PRESIDING.