Minority caucus questions President Mahama over appointments

 The Minority in Parliament has accused President John Mahama of breaching the Constitution and the Presidential Office Act, 1993 (Act 463) in his recent appoint­ments.

Addressing journalists outside Parliament yesterday, the Minority spokesperson, Patrick Boamah, raised concerns about the legality of the appointments, citing lack of consultation with the Council of State.

According to him, a letter dated January 21, 2025, from the Office of the President listed appointees including Mrs Joyce Bawa-Mogtari as Presidential Advisor and Special Aide, Stanley Dogbe as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Nana Oye Bampoe as Deputy Chief of Staff for Administration, and Professor Kwaku Dan­so-Boafo as Cabinet Secretary.

He argued that the appoint­ments were in contravention of Section 4.1 of Act 463, which mandated the President to consult the Council of State before such appointments.

He explained that while the President could make appoint­ments, the absence of the Council of State rendered the process incomplete.

“The President could have issued the appointments pending the Council of State’s composi­tion, but this was not done,” he said.

The Minority also questioned the appointment of Professor Kwaku Danso-Boafo as Cabinet Secretary.

Citing Article 76 of the Con­stitution, Mr Boamah stated that the appointment should have been made separately and communicat­ed clearly, given the significant role of the Cabinet Secretary in assist­ing with policy determination.

In addition, the Minority Spokesperson raised concerns about the President’s decision to appoint a Special Envoy to the Alliance of Sahelian States.

Mr Boamah also questioned the implications of this shift in Ghana’s foreign policy, especially considering the country’s mem­bership in ECOWAS.

“We want to understand the President’s position, as this could signal a departure from Ghana’s traditional non-aligned stance and established treaties,” Mr Boamah stressed.

He, therefore, called on the President to withdraw the ap­pointments and ensure compli­ance with constitutional provi­sions to avoid undermining the rule of law.

The Minority spokesperson who is the Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, called for clarity on Ghana’s foreign policy direction regarding the Sahelian states.

BY RAISSA SAMBOU