By Beatrice Oppon
The Supreme Court has fixed February 28, 2024, to deliver Judgments on two separate suits challenging the payment of monthly allowances to the wives of the President and Vice President of Ghana.
Two NDC MPs, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, Dr. Clement Apaak, and another former MP, Frederick Nii Commey, filed one suit at the Court after Parliament voted on an amendment to the Prof. Ntiamoah-Baidu Committee to give spouses of the President and Vice President allowances equal to the salary of a Cabinet Minister.
The Plaintiffs argue that the Prof. Ntiamoah-Baidu Committee overstepped its bounds in making recommendations in respect of salaries, allowances payable, facilities, and privileges not just limited to Article 71 Office Holders under the Constitution but also extending to Spouses of the President, Vice President, as well as Wives of former Presidents and Vice Presidents.
They contend that the Wives of the President and Vice President are not Article 71 Office Holders and are accordingly praying the Apex Court to declare portions of the Prof. Yaa Ntiamoah-Baidu Committee’s report relating to them as Unconstitutional.
It is their case that extending courtesies, including the payment of allowances to the First Lady and the wife of the Vice President, should be purely humanitarian and without any legal basis.
A second application was also filed by Bono Regional Chairman of the NPP, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye. Lawyers for the applicants relied on their documents filed, particularly the statement of case.
They submitted that the Committee exceeded its jurisdiction. Deputy Attorney General Diana Asonaba Dapaah opposed both applications, contending that they are premature and raise no cause for action. She further contended that Parliament’s adoption of the Committee’s recommendation is not unlawful.
