The Minority Leader of Ghana’s Parliament, Hon Haruna Iddrisu has asked Parliament to proactively and pre-emptively take ownership of the responsibility to initiate amendment of the Presidential Oath and amend same to reflect current dynamics. 

He added that, the Presidential Oath is a very significant aspect of our Democratic governance, going deep into legalities or otherwise of a President, hence the need to ensure that the right thing is done.

Explaining further, he added that on the 16th of March, 2016, the RT. Hon. Doe Adjaho assumed office as a President, sworn into office under Article 60(11) of the Constitution by the then Chief Justice Her Ladyship Georgina Theodora Woods.

The then Speaker Rt. Hon. Joyce Banford Addo, He indicated, was sworn in as President on the 1st of October and 9th November, 2010, Rt. Hon. Begyinah Sekyi Hughes was sworn in as President on 19th March, 2008 and Rt. Hon. Peter Ala-Adjetey was also sworn in by Chief Justice Peter Acquah in 2003, all under Article 60 (11); with the penultimate being in July 2016, when then President John Dramani Mahama assumed the office of the Presidency.

He also revealed that in all those situations, the Chief Justices relied on an amended portion of the Presidential Oath to suit the circumstances at the time.

“The words of the Oath in Article 60 (11) says ‘having been elected to the office of the President’, which is clearly not the case in all those instances”.

“In all these situations, the Chief Justices have struggled, probably with Parliament to effect the amendments”. He noted.

The Majority Leader on his part agreed with the Minority Leader as a matter of principle, and added his voice to the call for Parliament to amend same Oath.

In a related development, the Minority Leader called on Parliament to dedicate a day for the course of the Minority in the House.

He argued that in most cases Minority affairs is overshadowed, especially in relation to their numbers.

The Majority Leader agreed with same and indicated that, the House would appropriately consider same.

Story: Frederick E Aggrey

 

Exclusively Newslinegh