The Supreme Court of Ghana has ordered the Attorney General to file a defense in the suit filed against President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo by Prof Kwesi Aning, Director of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) and the IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, a Civil Society Organization.
The Attorney General, Godfred Dame, has been given up to 14 days to file the state’s defence statement.
“A declaration that, upon a true and proper interpretation of Articles 12 (2), 17, 200, 202(1), 202(2), 202(3), 205, 207 (1), 207(2), 207(3), 190(1), 191, 196, 199, 296 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the practice of the termination or removal from office of persons occupying the positions of the Chief Fire Officer of the Fire Service; Inspector-General of Police; Director-General of Prisons Service and Comptroller General of Immigration Service who are members of the public services upon the assumption of a new government by the President of the Republic in the absence of resignation, retirement, death, proven stated misbehaviour or misconduct, incapability to perform the functions of the office by reason of infirmity of body or mind by the immediate occupants of the offices is unconstitutional,” excerpts of the reliefs said.
“ It added that “A declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of Articles 12 (2), 17, 200, 202(1), 202(2), 202(3), 205, 207 (1), 207(2), 207(3), 190(1), 191, 196, 199 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the practice of the appointment of persons to take over from the occupants of the offices of the Chief Fire Officer of the Fire Service; Inspector-General of Police; Director-General of Prisons Service and Comptroller General of Immigration Service who are members of the public services upon the assumption of a new government by the President of the Republic in the absence of retirement, resignation, death, proven stated misbehaviour or misconduct, incapability to perform the functions of the office by reason of infirmity of body or mind by the current occupants of the offices is unconstitutional.”
IMANI Africa and Professor Kwesi Aning sued the state over President Akufo-Addo’s authority to fire the heads of Ghana’s internal security agencies, including the Chief Fire Officer of the Fire Service, the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of the Prisons Service, and the Comptroller General of the Immigration Service.
The plaintiffs want the Supreme Court to interpret sections of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution that deal with the appointment of security agency heads, such as Articles 200, 202(1), 202(2), 202(3), 205, 207 (1), 207(2), 207(3), 190(1), 191, 196, 199, and 296.
Click here to read the full reliefs being sought by Pro Aning and IMANI Africa
