Minority condemns absence of president, vice president and speaker of parliament, citing constitutional breach

The Minority in Parliament has fiercely criticized what it describes as a clear violation of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, following the simultaneous absence of the President, Vice President, and Speaker of Parliament from the country—without the formal appointment of an Acting President.

In a press statement released on Monday, May 12, 2025, the Minority expressed concern that all three senior officials were out of the country at the same time, a situation they argue directly breaches Article 60 of the Constitution. That provision mandates that in the absence of both the President and Vice President, the Speaker of Parliament must be sworn in to act as President.

At the time of the release, President John Dramani Mahama was in Togo attending the African Union Debt Conference, while Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyeman was in the United Kingdom undergoing medical treatment. Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, who would have assumed the role in their absence, was also confirmed to be out of the country.

With the Speaker also unavailable, constitutional procedure requires that the Chief Justice step in. However, the current Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkonoo, is under suspension, leaving a vacuum at the highest level of leadership.

Calling the situation a “deliberate and calculated” move, the Minority accused the current administration of undermining the very foundation of Ghana’s democracy. They stated, “This government continues to treat the Constitution as an inconvenience rather than a binding framework.”

The statement, signed by the Minority’s legal counsel, John Darko, warned that these actions present a real danger to governance and the democratic process. It further declared: “We will hold the President and his Vice accountable to their oath of office, which demands fidelity to the Constitution. Where necessary, we shall invoke the relevant provisions of law to ensure that constitutional breaches do not go unpunished.”

GOT A STORY?
Email Daily Mail GH: stories@dailymailgh.com or
Whatsapp: +233(0)509928122