Minority Caucus slams government over alleged constitutional breach

The New Patriotic Party Minority Caucus in Parliament has condemned the simultaneous absence of President John Dramani Mahama, Vice President Madam Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, and Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Bagbin, from the country, citing a blatant violation of the 1992 Constitution.

According to a statement signed by Mr John Darko, the Legal Counsel of the Minority Caucus in Parliament, on Tuesday, the situation contravened Article 60 of the Constitution, which required the Speaker of Parliament to be sworn in as Acting President when both the President and Vice President were unavailable.

“However, in this case, the Speaker was also outside the country, and Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo is currently under suspension,” it said.

The statement described the situation as a “deliberate and calculated” act, accusing the government of treating the Constitution as “an inconvenience rather than a binding framework.”

It warned that such constitutional infractions posed a serious threat to Ghana’s democratic foundation and governance.

“We will hold the President and his Vice accountable to their oath of oce, which demands delity to the Constitution. Where necessary, we shall invoke the relevant provisions of law to ensure that constitutional breaches do not go unpunished,” the statement quoted Mr Darko, also the NPP MP for Suame, as saying.