The National Democratic Congress, NDC’s Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga has described the president’s decision to suspend the Upper West Regional Minister as unlawful.
Ayariga describes the move as unconstitutional and unacceptable.
In a conversation on Radio Gold, the member of Parliament stated that the president over stepped his boundary.
“Though no legal argument has been alarmed now does not mean the move is authentic. There are precedents of such suspensions but nothing stops me to question the constitutional justification of his [President’s] move to suspend the minister” He stated.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo suspended with immediate effect from office, the Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Sulemana Alhassan, following an attack on the regional office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
Some NPP activists in the Region, numbering about 30, on Wednesday held the Regional Coordinator of the NADMO hostage for hours and beat up his personal security officer in a violent attack at his office that has left staff gripped with fear.
The attack was over internal party affairs.
Mahama Ayariga also stated that checks and balances on issues of such nature are confined in the provisions made in the local government acts. He also stated that the security of tenure by office holders in the government is enshrined in the constitution and should be respected as such.
Suspension
A statement issued Thursday and signed by the Director of Communications at the Flagstaff House, Eugene Arhin, said “The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has suspended with immediate effect, from office, the Minister of the Upper West Region, Alhaji Sulemana Alhassan, pending the outcome of investigations into the unfortunate incidents that occurred at the premises of the Upper West Regional Office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in Wa, on Wednesday, 31st January, 2018.”
The Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Amidu Ishaq, has subsequently been asked to act as interim regional minister.
“President Akufo-Addo reiterates his commitment to the application of the laws of the land, which must occur without fear or favour, affection or ill-will, and without recourse to the political, religious or ethnic affiliations of any citizen of the land,” the statement added.
Daniel Koranteng Kwagyiri|ahotoronline.com|Ghana
