|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A seven-member panel at the Supreme Court today ruled that, the positions of the first and second ladies of Ghana do not fall under the category of the Public Office holders.
The panel chaired by the Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo declared it as unconstitutional for Parliament to approve payment of salaries allowances to the spouses of the President and his Vice President from the consolidated fund.
It added that its only public officers that the Emolument Committee of Parliament is limited to recommend their salaries, privileges and other benefits.
This was the court’s verdict on a case filed by Mr. Kwame Baffoe alias Abronye, the Bono Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Mr Abronye’s fourth relief, which was praying the Court 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.
Although the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Members of Parliament (MPs) for South Dayi Constituency, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, filed a similar action, his reliefs which focused on the recommendations of the Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee were dismissed, while only one was granted.
Other members of the panel were Justices Gabriel Pwamang, Avril Lovelace-Johnson, Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, Barbara Ackah-Yensu, Samuel Kwame Adibu Asiedu and Ernest Yao Gaewu.
