The Supreme Court is set to deliver judgment in two separate suits challenging the payment of salaries approved for the First and Second Ladies of Ghana. The panel, presided over by Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, will address the contentious issue which has sparked legal action.
The suits challenge the Parliament-approved recommendations of the Prof Yaa Ntiamoah-Baidu-led Committee on emoluments for Article 71 office holders. This approval would result in the spouses of President Akufo Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia receiving the same monthly salaries as Cabinet Ministers.
The legal actions were brought forward by Members of Parliament Rockson Dafeamekpor and Clement Apaak, as well as Nii Tackie Commey, who collectively sued the Attorney General to reverse the payment of emoluments for the First and Second Ladies. Additionally, a separate action was filed by Mr. Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as ‘Abronye’, who serves as the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Initially scheduled for February 28, the judgment delivery was later deferred to April 24, 2024. The proceedings saw arguments from both sides, with the Plaintiffs and their lawyers contesting the extension of allowances to the wives of the President and Vice President. They argued that the Committee had exceeded its jurisdiction in making these recommendations.
In response, the Deputy Attorney General, Diana Asonaba Dapaah, contended that no cause of action had been raised in Dafeamakpor’s case and urged the Court to dismiss it. Regarding Abronye DC’s case, the Deputy AG asserted that Parliament’s adoption of the Committee's recommendation was not unlawful and does not create any Article 71 Office Holder.
The panel, which includes distinguished members such as Justice Gabriel Pwamang and Justice Prof. Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, heard the re-heard cases after some members of the previous panel retired last year. Notably, the young lawyers representing the Plaintiffs received commendations for their excellent delivery during the proceedings.
In their suit, the two MPs argued that the decision to pay the presidential spouses is inconsistent with the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and called for the Supreme Court to declare the approval of the recommendation by parliament as “null, void, and unenforceable”.
The outcome of these legal actions will have significant implications and will be eagerly awaited by many. As the Supreme Court prepares to deliver its judgment, it is a critical moment in Ghana’s legal landscape, and the decision will undoubtedly be closely scrutinized.
-source Starrfm | curated by Tetteh Belinda | GhanaCrimes
