The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has disclosed that Parliament is set to pursue legal interpretation following President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s decision to withhold his signature on several bills passed by the legislative body.
Last year, President Akufo-Addo declined to sign into law the Criminal Offences Bill of 2022, the Witchcraft Bill, and the Armed Forces Bill of 2023, citing constitutional concerns associated with these pieces of legislation.
Speaker Bagbin conveyed the Parliament’s intention to seek legal clarity on the matter during a press briefing, asserting that the decision to challenge the president in court had been made. He emphasized his commitment to maintaining communication with President Akufo-Addo despite their disagreement on the refusal to assent to the bills.
“I want to end up by assuring you that I will definitely be in touch with my good friend the president, his excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, even though I disagree with him in his refusal to assent to our bills, and I have given notice that we will be in court about this matter,” Speaker Bagbin stated.
Bagbin further contended that the constitutionality of the bills rested solely with the Supreme Court and not within the president’s jurisdiction. He insisted that any concerns about potential abuse should be contested before the Supreme Court and not through an executive declaration of unconstitutionality.
In response to President Akufo-Addo’s fear of constitutional implications in relation to the Ghana Armed Forces Amendment Bill, Speaker Bagbin emphasized, “The determination of any unconstitutionality is the sole purview of the Supreme Court, not the President.”
He argued that if there were concerns about Parliament overstepping its constitutional authority, the appropriate course of action would be to bring the matter before the Supreme Court, rather than preemptively declaring it unconstitutional. Bagbin highlighted the constitutional discretion vested in the presiding officer of Parliament and suggested that allegations of abuse should be contested in a court of competent jurisdiction.
