Members of Parliament (MPs) resumed sitting last Tuesday with the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, referring the President’s Chief Justice nominee, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, to the Appointments Committee of Parliament for vetting.
He also swore in the newly elected MPs for Akwatia and Tamale Central constituencies.
At the commencement of the Third Meeting of the First Session of Ninth Parliament, the Speaker administered the oaths of office and allegiance to Bernard Bediako Baidoo of Akwatia and Professor Alidu Seidu of Tamale Central.
CJ nominee
Mr Bagbin urged the committee to consider the nominee in a public hearing and submit a report to the House for consideration.
He made the reference after he had read to the House a letter, dated October 14, this year, from the President submitting the nominee’s name for consideration and appointment in line with Article 144(1) of the Constitution.
Per the President’s letter, the nomination of Mr Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, a Justice of the Supreme Court, followed consultations with the Council of State.
“I have the honour to respectfully submit, for the approval of Parliament, the nomination of Justice for Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana,” the Speaker read the letter.
Necessary leadership
He said per the letter, Mr Justice Baffoe-Bonnie had distinguished himself through unwavering integrity, sound judicial temperament and a deep commitment to the rule of law.
“His long and meritorious service on the Supreme Court has been characterised by professionalism, fairness and a passion for justice.
“He possesses the necessary leadership, administrative competence and vision to advance ongoing reforms within Ghana’s e justice and system and to further strengthen public confidence in the Judiciary,” the Speaker read the letter.
They had attached the curriculum vitae and supporting documents to facilitate the vetting process.
“I trust that Parliament will expedite the approval process in accordance with constitutional requirements,” the letter read.
Referring the nomination to the Appointments Committee, Mr Bagbin urged other members of the House to join the committee to assist them, warning that they could only do so without wielding any voting rights.
“We trust that this will be done in accordance with the laws of this country and at the end of the day, please, we will give you ample time for us to assist His Excellency to make sure that the confidence in the arms of government is restored and enhanced,” he said.
New MPs
The fresh MPs won various by-elections conducted by the Electoral Commission in September this year, following the passing of substantive MPs for their constituencies.
During the by-election in Akwatia, Mr Baidoo, a 40-year-old lawyer, polled 18,199 votes to succeed former New Patriotic Party MP for the area, Ernest Yaw Kumi, who died in July this year.
In the Tamale Central by-election, Professor Alidu, a University of Ghana lecturer, who once headed the Department of Political Science of the institution, was elected unopposed and he succeeds the former National Democratic Congress MP for the area, Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, who died in a military helicopter crash in August this year.
Abide by your oaths
Addressing the House after swearing in the two MPs, Mr Bagbin welcomed them to the House but warned that he would hold them to the oaths they had sworn.
He said if they could not discharge those duties, he would first give them “the hoe and the cutlass”.
“You do not go to your farm without the hoe or the cutlass; so, on a daily basis, I observe members when they walk in,” he said.
Mr Bagbin said that even though he was 33 years in the House, he still referred to the Constitution and the Standard Orders on a daily basis.
Telling the two MPs that there was always something to learn every day, the Speaker handed the new faces in the House the Constitution and the Standing Orders.
“There is a lot that you have to learn; whether you are a professor or you are a farmer or you are from anywhere, you have come to a new school and that school starts from crèche and you are starting from crèche today,” he said.
He advised them not to assume that, because of their capacity in other areas, they “know it”.
“You do not know it and you have to start learning, please,” he said, encouraging them not to be deterred by what senior colleagues in the House would subject them to.
“Do not be deterred and intimidated; you can perform better than them.
Please, but at least out of respect, you have to give their reverence to them because they were born before you,” he advised.
