According to the Supreme Court, it is unconstitutional the decision by Parliament for the wives of the President and Vice President to receive salaries.
The Court ruled that the approval is inconsistent with the 1992 constitution since the First Lady and the wife of the Vice President do not fall under public officeholders.
This follows a suit filed against the Attorney General in July 2021 by the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, popularly called Abronye.
Abronye went to court to among other things seek a “declaration that per Article 71(1) and (2), the positions of the ladies do not fall under the category of Public Office holders.”
The writ added that “… Per Articles 108 and 178 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana: Parliament, cannot on its own accord, initiate or approve payment of any such emoluments which would necessarily be paid from public funds, without a bill to that effect emanating from and introduced by the Government and duly passed into law.”
He prayed the court to declare that the approval by Parliament to pay salaries to the First and Second Ladies is inconsistent with Article 71 clauses 1 and 2 of the 1992 constitution of the Republic of Ghana and consequently be declared null, void and unenforceable.
The seven-member panel of the Supreme Court presided over by Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo granted three out of the four reliefs sought by the Bono Regional Chairman.
Mr Abronye’s fourth relief, which was praying the Court to to declare that parliament cannot, on its own accord, initiate or approve payment of any such emoluments; which would necessarily be paid from public funds; without a bill to that effect emanating from and introduced by the government and duly passed into law, was not granted.
By: Rainbowradioonlinemcom/Ghana
