The Presidency
has rejected a petition by a group calling for the removal of the Speaker of
Parliament over an alleged case of misconduct.
The group known as the Alliance for Social
Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), in a petition dated July 9, 2019,
called on the president to, as a matter of urgency, to remove the Speaker of
Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye for stated misbehaviour contrary to the public
procurement laws of the country, abuse of power and corruption.
The Alliance petitioned the President to remove
the Speaker of Parliament over the $200million 450-seater parliamentary complex
gaffe for unilaterally forcing Ken Ofori Atta, the Minister of Finance
Minister, to make funds available for the project and selected an architect to
proceed with the project even though Parliament had not concluded discussions
on the matter.
In the petition, ASEPA said it deemed the action
of the Speaker of Parliament as an “abuse of power” and equated it to
corruption, it also found it absurd that Prof. Oquaye allegedly sent a letter
to President Nana Akufo-Addo inviting him for a sod-cutting ceremony to be held
in the last week of June 2019 despite inconclusive discussions on the
construction of the new parliamentary chamber complex.
But a
statement from the Presidency signed by Nana Asante Bediatuo, the Executive
Secretary to the President, declined the request from the petitioners,
referring to the petition as unconstitutional and explained that the president
had no power under the constitution and the laws of Ghana to remove the Speaker
of Parliament.
“Rather, the constitution safeguards the
strict separation of powers to prevent interferences among the three arms of
government, however, we acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 9, 2019,
requesting the president to remove the Speaker of Parliament from office.
“In as much as we respect the exercise of your rights as a citizen of the country, we are constrained to inform you that the president has no power under the constitution and laws of the country to remove the Speaker of Parliament from office.
“The constitution safeguards the strict separation of powers in such circumstances to prevent one arm of the state from interfering in the affairs of another, except as provided by the constitution and accordingly, your petition is hereby refused,” the statement said. -citinewsroom.com
