By Bright Okofo-Darteh
The Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional the parliament’s approval of salary payments and allowances to the spouses of the President and Vice President from the consolidated fund.
Today, a seven-member panel led by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo held that the First and Second Ladies of Ghana are not considered Public Office holders.
The court ruled that the Emolument Committee of Parliament is restricted to recommending salaries and benefits only for public office holders.
This ruling came in response to a case brought by Mr Kwame Baffoe, the Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), also known as Abronye D.
One of Mr Abronye’s claims, seeking a declaration that parliament cannot independently initiate or approve payments from public funds without a government-introduced bill, was not granted.
Similarly, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for South Dayi Constituency, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, had filed a related action. However, most of his claims regarding the Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu Committee’s recommendations were dismissed.
The panel included Justices Gabriel Pwamang, Avril Lovelace-Johnson, Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, Barbara Ackah-Yensu, Samuel Kwame Adibu Asiedu, and Ernest Yao Gaewu.”