Put Ghanaians above your personal differences – Professor Antwi to Akufo-Addo, Bagbin

On March 31, 2024, 1:50 AM

A Governance expert, Professor Enoch Antwi has called on President Akufo-Addo and Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin to place the interest of Ghanaians above their personal differences.

He stressed that the action taken by Parliament against the consideration of the new ministers as well as the decision of  President Akufo-Addo not to sign the Anti-Gay Bill until the Supreme Court is done with the case against the bill should all be in the interest of Ghanaians.

He made the call on an Accra-based television station on Saturday March 29, 2024 while contributing to a discussion on the dismissal of the suit filed by South Dayi MP, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor against considering the new ministers.

According to Professor Antwi, Ghanaians want the bill to be passed into law therefore the President should sign it.

He added, the people expect governance to go on therefore Parliament must approve the new ministers.

This, he noted are all in the best interest of the citizenry.

“All these should be done in the interest of Ghanaians. Ghanaians want the president to sign the bill into law because that is the value.

“In the same way, we expect Parliament to approve these ministers to work, as we speak now they are not working and that’s affecting governance,” he explained.

President Akufo-Addo on February 14, 2024 announced a reshuffle of ministers consisting of 13 ministers and 10 deputies relieved of their posts, while six of them were reassigned to new portfolios.

But Mr Dafeamekpor, filed an application to challenge the approval of the new ministerial and deputy ministerial nominees.

Mr Dafeamekpor, had sought to halt the vetting process in Parliament pending the determination of his suit challenging the constitutionality of the President’s decision to reassign Ministers without Parliament’s involvement.

On Wednesday, March 27, 2024, when the case was called, Mr Dafeamekpor as well as his lawyer, Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo were both absent.

The Supreme Court dismissed the injunction application on the same day.

By a unanimous decision, the apex court said the injunction application is frivolous and an abuse of the court process.