By Beatrice Oppon
The Supreme Court has ordered a substituted service on some MPs, former Ministers and Deputy Ministers dragged before it overpayment of double salaries to them.
Bono Regional Chairman of the NPP Kwame Baffoe also known as Abronye DC filed a suit against the defendants challenging the payment of their salaries to them between 2009 and 2016 when they doubled as MPs and Ministers or Deputy Ministers. The Court gave the order after the lawyer for Abronye DC, Seth Gyapong Oware informed the Court that the affected MPs and former government appointees are evading service of court processes.
The Court directed that the processes should be posted on the notice boards of Parliament, Supreme Court and the Law Court Complex. It also directed further publication in the Daily Graphic and Daily Guide newspapers. The defendants are Haruna Iddrisu, Alhassan Azong, Fifii Fiave Kwetey, Eric Opoku, Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, Mark Owen Woyongo, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah and Aquinas Tawiah Quansah.
It is the case of Abronye DC that the affected MPs and former government appointees receiving double salaries as MPs and Ministers or Deputy Ministers is inconsistent with the Constitution. He contends that per Article 98 of the Constitution the practice is unconstitutional, null and void. He is therefore praying the Supreme Court to declare the payment as a violation of the Constitution and an order to compel the MPs to refund the double salaries paid to them.