Legal practioner, Lawyer Stephen Kingsley Bernieh has described the actions of President Akufo-Addo allowing his nominated ministers to partake in decision making without Parliament’s approval of the nominees is unconstitutional.
Speaking on Plan B FM’s morning show NKOSUONSEM hosted by Obidehye Kofi Sekyi, lawyer Bernieh stressed that , before any appointee of the president can start work he or she must go through parliamentary process of vetting to assess the competence and capabilities of the appointee if they fit the position they have been appointed to.
” if the appointee hasn’t been approved by parliament and they are taking part in decisions the the president is abusing the law” he asserted
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticised the government for allowing the 24 designated ministers to commence official duties despite pending parliamentary approval.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin adjourned the House indefinitely following a disagreement with the presidency over the anti-gay bill, effectively stalling the fate of the nominees.
Nonetheless, the designated ministers and deputies have already begun their work. For instance, Gender Minister Designate Darkoa Newman addressed the media on the Nungua Gborbu Wulomo alleged child marriage on Thursday, April 18.
Mustapha Gbande, the Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, described this action as a violation of the rule of law.
“It is just a reflection of what the government is. A government that believes that let’s break a law as long as it is politically expedient. This matter is in court, but the president, as you know him, would disregard even the processes because he knows that he has buried a hatchet person to do his job at the judiciary. That is the only motivation and reason why the government will continue to do that with flagrant disregard for the public concern and public outcry.
“Again, what would be the motivation for recycling people to be ministers when you are not confident to put them before a vetting committee? What have they got to hide? Is it because they are so incompetent? Is it because most of them have been involved in scandals in their previous ministry where they have served before?”
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