Minority in Parliament Accuses President Mahama of Constitutional Breach Over Appointments

0
John Dramani Mahama
John Dramani Mahama

The Minority in Parliament has raised concerns over what they believe to be a constitutional violation by President John Dramani Mahama regarding recent appointments to his office.

The Minority Caucus alleges that the President made the appointments without consulting the Council of State, which, according to them, breaches Section 4(1) of the Presidential Office Act.

On Tuesday, January 21, 2024, President Mahama announced 10 key appointments to his office, including individuals with expertise in communication, diplomacy, governance, and security. However, the Minority believes the President failed to follow proper procedure, as required by the Constitution.

Patrick Yaw Boamah, Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, expressed the view that the President should have clarified that the appointments were provisional until the formation of the Council of State, in line with legal requirements. “At best, this letter should have been issued with a paragraph to state that these appointments are being made pending the composition of the Council of State and that they will be regularised in conformity with this Act,” Boamah said.

In a media interview in Parliament, Boamah called on the President to retract the appointment letters and adhere to the constitutional processes outlined in the Presidential Office Act of 1993, which governs the functioning of the Office of the President. Section 4(6)(3) of the Act, he pointed out, stipulates that presidential appointments must be made in consultation with the Council of State.

“The interpretation section of the Act defines ‘Office’ to mean the Office of the President and Vice President, and ‘Presidential Staff’ to mean persons appointed under Section 4(1) of this Act. Section 41 specifically states that the President shall appoint such officers in consultation with the Council of State,” Boamah elaborated.

The Minority claims that the President’s failure to consult the Council of State before making the appointments constitutes a breach of the Act. They have called on President Mahama to reconsider the appointments and act in consultation with the Council, which is currently not in place.

Send your news stories to newsghana101@gmail.com Follow News Ghana on Google News