The Member of Parliament for Ejisu, Kwabena Boateng, has dismissed claims that the Minority in Parliament sought to obstruct the vetting of Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, insisting that the confusion surrounding the process was due to procedural lapses from the Speaker of Parliament.
According to the Ejisu MP, the Minority’s actions were misinterpreted as sabotage when in fact they were expressing concern over due parliamentary process.
“The Minority never intended to obstruct the vetting of the Chief Justice; the Speaker of Parliament is to blame,” Mr. Boateng clarified in an interview with Nhyira Fm.
He explained that the Speaker failed to present the motion on the nomination of the Chief Justice to the plenary for debate and approval before forwarding it to the Appointments Committee for vetting.
“The Speaker didn’t bring that motion up in Parliament to discuss, hence the Minority’s decision to state our views on the vetting committee,” he added.
The controversy follows the nomination of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie by President John Mahama to replace Justice Gertrude Torkonoo, whose removal has been challenged in court.
The Minority has argued that until the court determines the legitimacy of Justice Torkonoo’s removal, proceeding with the vetting and potential approval of a new Chief Justice could undermine the authority of the judiciary and Parliament.
“The Minority believes the vetting should have been suspended pending the outcome of the court cases challenging the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo and the nomination of the new Chief Justice, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie. Should the court’s ruling go against the approval of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice, it would be an embarrassment to Parliament and the state,” Mr. Boateng stated.
Source: Barima Kofi Dawson