Tuesday, 29 April

PPP slams GBA over response on suspension of CJ

Politics
Nana Ofori Owusu

The Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) has publicly declared its support for the suspension of Ghana's Chief Justice, stating that the action taken by President John Mahama was lawful and firmly rooted in the provisions of the 1992 Constitution.

In a statement signed by the party’s National Chairman, Nana Ofori Owusu, the PPP emphasised that the President's decision followed due process and was executed in consultation with the Council of State, after a prima facie case was established.

According to the party, the suspended Chief Justice was given the opportunity to respond to the allegations raised in the petition against her—an indication, they say, that the President has upheld the principles of the rule of law and fairness.

“The Constitution remains the supreme law of our land, applicable to all persons and in all circumstances. Therefore, the PPP maintains its position that no constitutional provisions have been breached by the President in the matter of the current Chief Justice,” the statement read.

The PPP also took a swipe at the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), describing the group’s call for a reversal of the suspension as "perplexing" and potentially damaging to the constitutional process.

“We had hoped the GBA would affirm the adherence to due process in this matter,” the PPP said.

“Instead, their call for a ‘suspension of the CJ’s suspension’ could be interpreted as an attempt to suspend due process itself.”

The party warned that such positions risk undermining the rule of law and promoting what it described as “a selective and subjective application of the law, contingent on the individuals involved.”

Drawing parallels to the 2018 dismissal of the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, the PPP stressed the importance of constitutional accountability for all public officials, regardless of their position.

“It is in this spirit that the Constitution provides clear avenues for holding not just the Chief Justice, but also the President and the Speaker of Parliament accountable,” the party noted, referencing Article 146 of the Constitution, which governs the removal of superior court justices.

 

The PPP concluded by urging calm and encouraging all parties to allow the constitutional process to take its full course, while reiterating that heads of state institutions must be held to the highest standards of accountability.

Source: Classfmonline.com/Cecil Mensah