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Parliament will not approve your ministers- Speaker Bagbin to President Akufo-Addo
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has told the President that Parliament will not be able to approve his ministers due to a pending matter against them in court.
This follows the Office of the President’s request to Parliament to refrain from transmitting Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values also known as the Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill to President Akufo-Addo for his assent.
In a letter signed by the Executive Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo to Parliament on Monday, March 18, a request was made in light of two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction currently before the Supreme Court.
However, the Speaker of Parliament views the letter as contemptuous of Parliament.
Against this backdrop, the Speaker yesterday replied the letter by saying, “Hon. Members in the light of this process, the House is unable to continue to consider the
nominations of His Excellency the President in the “spirit of upholding the rule of law until after the determination of the application for interlocutory injunction by the Supreme Court.”
He went further to say, “The contents of the letter, albeit not formally presented to us, have come to our attention,
compelling us to confront the issues it raises. It is a matter of great concern that the executive branch has chosen to disregard the established constitutional structures that facilitate constructive dialogue and collaboration between the branches of government.”
He added that “according to our 1992 Constitution, the President has no VETO.”
The Speaker noted that, when important legislative work, the product of rigorous debate and consensus-building within this House, is disregarded without just
cause, it not only disrespects the legislative branch but also disenfranchises the citizens
we are sworn to serve.
“This blatant disregard for legislative processes and constitutional mandates risks setting a perilous precedent
that could weaken the very fabric of our
governance structure,” he added.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
