The supreme
court of Ghana in a unanimous decision on Friday October 18, 2024 granted a
Stay of Execution in effect to a suit filed earlier on by the then majority
group in parliament.
A decision
that seeks to immediately halt the implementation of the speaker’s ruling in
which he declared some four seats vacant during a parliamentary seating last
week resulting in a power shift of the majority and minority caucuses.
Chaired by
the Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, the Supreme Court Panel argued
that the decision by the Speaker of Parliament will deprive the constituents of
the affected MPs of their democratic rights as they will have no representation
in the governance process.
The Court in
addition directed that a Statement of Case together with a Memorandum of Issues
should be filed within seven days by the Attorney General and the Speaker of
Parliament.
Lawyers for
the Majority Leader in their arguments sited the Speaker for misinterpreting
and or misapplying the Article 97 of the Constitution to suggest the said MPs
crossed carpet which in their opinion do not hold.
With a
number of hours left to the house resuming its business in the chambers
tomorrow Tuesday October 22, many citizens and legal practitioners across the
country have registered their displeasure with the current developments which
suggest a not so acceptable friction between the two arms of the government.
The former
majority caucus consisting of the ruling NPP parliamentarians have stated
clearly their readiness to reoccupy their former positions in the chamber as
the MPs of the supposed new majority caucus consisting of the major opposition
party NDC on the other hand also are ready to remain in the position as
declared by the Speaker.
Described
among others as a power struggle, constitutional face-off or a parliamentary
showdown, it leaves the citizens and stakeholders in a doubt of what could
happen in the chambers as the parliamentarians reconvene tomorrow.
As the legislature and the judiciary navigate through this institutional clash, the nation remains hopeful that the two sides would hold the constitution in high esteem despite the history of the parliament since its inception after the 2020 elections.
Fingers are
crossed with eyes and ears on the watch to see what could happen in any case
where the Speaker attempts to make a decision on the delicate matter.
0 Comments