A former Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Joseph Dindiok Kpemka, says the new ministers and deputies appointed by President Akufo-Addo are not mentioned in the lawsuit based on which the Speaker of Parliament suspended their approval.

According to him, the suit filed by MP for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, is seeking to direct the President to present before Parliament for consideration and approval the substantive ministers whose appointments were revoked before they were reassigned.

However, all the vetted ministers awaiting approval are not in this category, Mr Kpemka said, adding that they are either new appointments or deputy ministers appointed substantive ministers.

“What Dafeamekpor is seeking to do is that there are a number of ministers who, according to him, their appointments were revoked. Once their appointments was revoked and, subsequently, the President reassigned them, he said that, that was unlawful and that the President could have only renominated them for consideration by Parliament.”

“Now, he mentions Henry Quartey, Asenso Boakye, Oppong Nkrumah and a number of others. So, if they were to be vetted and the processes and considerations for the President's nominees for ministerial appointments do not include them, to what effect? The number of ministers sent to Parliament and vetted, do not become part of those he's talking about,” Mr Kpemka added.

Speaking on Newsfile on JoyNews, he cited the likes of the Deputy Finance Minister, Abena Osei-Asare who was vetted after getting appointed as a Minister of State at the Finance Ministry.

The former Deputy Minister for Justice insisted that the suit by Mr Dafeamekpor does not relate to the vetted ministers and as such their approval process should continue.

This comment comes after the Speaker of Parliament suspended the consideration of the nomination of Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State by President Akufo-Addo; citing an interlocutory injunction filed at the Supreme Court by Mr Dafeamekpor.

In his final address to the House before adjourning sitting on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin said the lawsuit makes it impossible for Parliament to vet and process the new ministers nominated by President Akufo-Addo.

But, the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, in a letter said that Parliament is not restrained from proceeding with the vetting and approval process of the ministerial nominees.

According to him, the action filed by Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor consists of a bare writ of summons.

Meanwhile, lawyer Bobby Banson says the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, had no legal grounds to suspend the vetting and approval of ministers and deputies appointed by President Akufo-Addo.

According to him, as of March 20, 2024, when the Speaker stated that he had before him a motion or an interlocutory injunction, there was no application pending.

The lawyer stressed that the Speaker of Parliament should have consulted with the leadership of both the Majority and Minority before making his pronouncement on the issue.

He remarked, "through those consultations, his attention would have been drawn to the lawsuit."