‘Blows’ At Appointments Committee Sitting As NDC MPs Attempt To Stop Vetting Of Supreme Court Nominees

A heated confrontation unfolded at the Appointments Committee of Parliament as members of the Minority attempted to halt the vetting process for two Supreme Court nominees, Justice Sophia Bernasko Essah and Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong, both nominated by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

The controversy erupted even before the formal vetting process began, with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, raising significant constitutional objections to the appointments.

Constitutional Concerns Raised

MP Mahama Ayariga argued that the appointments of Justice Essah and Professor Oppong were unconstitutional, claiming that the President’s exercise of appointment powers lacked a solid constitutional foundation.

“I think that we have been doing an illegal thing, an unconstitutional thing. The President has been exercising the power without any foundation in the Constitution or any law that I know,” Ayariga stated. He further argued that the nominations violated several articles of the Ghanaian Constitution, including Article 128, which outlines the composition of the Supreme Court, and Article 144, which details the process for appointing justices.

Ayariga’s concerns also extended to the discretionary powers granted under Article 296, which he claimed were not properly adhered to in this case, and he questioned whether the appointment process satisfied Parliament’s authority under Article 298 to fill in legal voids.

“To tell you the truth, we’ve been doing the wrong thing,” Ayariga declared, signaling his firm stance against proceeding with the vetting.

Majority Leader’s Response

In response, the Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, addressed the constitutional objections raised by Ayariga. He emphasized that the role of the Appointments Committee is not to determine the constitutionality of the President’s nominations but to vet the nominees and report their findings to Parliament for further decision-making.

“We are only to vet and report to the plenary for a decision to be taken. We are not determining whether we are going to take a matter under a certificate of urgency which will be determined by a committee. No, this is vetting,” Afenyo-Markin asserted, urging the Committee to proceed with the process.

Despite the attempts by the Minority to halt the vetting, the Majority Leader’s insistence that the Committee adhere to its mandate led to the continuation of the vetting process.

The Road Ahead

The tension surrounding the vetting of Justice Sophia Bernasko Essah and Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong highlights the deepening divisions within Parliament as the 2024 general elections approach. With concerns about constitutional breaches and the proper exercise of presidential powers at the forefront, the vetting process is likely to be closely scrutinized by both political actors and the general public.

Source: GhanaFeed.Com