There was drama and chaos at the appointment committee sitting on Tuesday, August 13, 2024.
The minority once again compelled the committee to pull the breaks on the vetting of two nominees to the Supreme Court.
Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko and Prof. Richard Frimpong Oppong whose vetting was truncated on the last day of sitting were ready to have their day today only for Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga to questioned the legal basis for their nomination by President Akufo-Addo.
Mr. Ayariga argued the President has no constitutional authority to increase the number of Supreme Court Justices above 10. Mahama Ayariga consequently moved a motion for the vetting to be halted.
The development resulted in the suspension of proceedings after heated exchanges.
When hearing the chairperson for the committee Patricia Appiah-Agyei ruled against the minority’s motion without putting it to a vote.
This development further threw the hearing into chaos with the minority insisting the exercise could not continue unless the votes were taken. Minority Chief Whip Governs Kwame Agbodza accused the committee chair Patricia Appiah-Agyei of plagiarising her ruling after discovering a journalist had posted the exact rendition on social media even before she read it out at the hearing.
After numerous unsuccessful attempts by the majority leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin to persuade the NDC MPs to let things slide, the votes were taken after the Effutu MP prayed to the chair to cede to the demand of the minority with seven votes each for both sides.
The development per the standing orders of parliament meant that the motion of the minority for the vetting to be halted had been lost.
This paved the way for the first nominee Sophia Rosetta Bernasko who had been seated the entire time watching the drama unfold to finally be allowed to answer questions from members of the Committee.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Ibrahim Alhassan
