Category: Local News

Deputy Minister-Designate for Attorney-General and Justice, Justice Srem-Sai has disclosed that his doctoral studies at the University of Leeds School of Law in England were financed by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).

He mentioned that the state incurred approximately £20,000 annually for his tuition.

This revelation came during his appearance before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Wednesday, February 26, 2025.

“My PhD abroad was funded by GetFund. GETFund has on record all the people and how much they have paid, I will recommend that GETFund can provide.”

This revelation comes in the context of previous reports highlighting that several lecturers, including Justice Srem-Sai, benefited from GETFund scholarships intended to support higher education pursuits.

The Minority in Parliament has rejected the nomination of Deputy Attorney General and Justice Minister-designate, Justice Srem-Sai, following a disagreement with the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor.

The dispute arose when Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin requested Srem-Sai to demonstrate the traditional dance a move the Chairman vehemently opposed.

Taking offense, Afenyo-Markin described the Chairman’s stance as ‘whimsical’ and claimed he was ‘rudely interrupted,’ indicating unfair treatment toward the Minority.

After a ten-minute suspension of the vetting process, the Minority returned and declared their rejection of Srem-Sai’s nomination.

Afenyo-Markin noted that, despite smooth vetting sessions since Monday, February 24, 2025, they have also rejected the nominations of Alhassan Suhuyini, Deputy Minister-designate for Roads and Highways who had been vetted already, Sulemana Yussif, Deputy Minister-designate for Lands and Natural Resources, and Yussif Issaka Jajah, Deputy Minister-designate for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.

The Effutu MP stated, “When it got to me the leader of the caucus, there were all manner of interruptions. Including an interruption by the Attorney General [Dr Dominic Ayine] himself, of which you curiously said you never heard.

“Again, the Majority Chief Whip, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, came in interrupting, though not into the mic. It was aimed at obstructing the smooth process of my vetting of the nominee [Srem-Sai]. Eventually, you allowed him to ask a so-called follow-up question.

“The minority caucus rejects the nomination of the Deputy Attorney General and that the decision of it will be solely yours as majority caucus. For today [February 26], all other nominees in furtherance of our protest, we’re also rejecting them, and your decision will remain yours as majority caucus.”

The Supreme Court has by a 4-1 majority decision stayed the High Court in Koforidua from sentencing the Member of Parliament for the Akwatia Constituency, Ernest Yaw Kumi in a contempt case pending the final determination of a motion seeking to quash the ruling. 

Justice Gabriel Pwamang, dissented while the four other members of the panel approved the stay. 

Background

In a motion on notice for an order for certiorari and prohibition, the MP through his counsel contended that the High Court judge committed a jurisdictional error of law on the face of the record when he assumed jurisdiction in Parliamentary Election Petition at Akwatia Constituency at the time when the Electoral Commission had not published the Gazette Notification. 

The MP argued that the High Court Judge breached the rules of natural justice when he proceeded to hear and determine the contempt application despite the pendency of his (the MP) motion to set aside the said contempt application for want of jurisdiction

According to him, the High Court Judge was also biased and highly prejudiced against him when he, among others, refused to grant his counsel audience on the basis that counsel had not filed “Appearance” in the contempt application. 

The MP sought a declaration that the Petition filed by Henry Boakye-Yiadom, the first Interested Party (IP) on December 31, 2024 in the absence of the Gazette Notification of the Parliamentary Election Result to which the election relates was incompetent  as same did not properly invoke the jurisdiction of the High Court and that “any order founded on the same is void  and of no effect.” 

Mr Kumi also sought a “declaration that the Contempt Proceedings and Ruling dated 19th February 2025, found on premature election petition filed on 31st December 2024 is void and of no effect”.  

The MP prayed for an order of certiorari from the Supreme Court quashing the Koforidua High Court ruling dated February 19, 2025, the petition filed on December 31, 2024, and Interim Injunction order on January 2, 2025, and ruling on January 6, 2025, made pursuant to the said premature Election Petition, filed December 31, 2024.

In a passionate defence of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s revocation of appointments made post-elections, the South African Council of Elders Chair for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Benjamin Kofi Quashie, has suggested that the Public Service of Ghana must function independently and professionally.

Highlighting the revocation of appointments and recruitments, he emphasized that appointments nuanced with politics should be discouraged going forward.

Contributing to a panel discussion on Joy News PM Express, Monday, 24th February 2025, on the topic, “Revocation of Appointments: Counting the Political and Socioeconomic Cost”, he defended the Chief of Staff, Mr. Julius Debrah’s actions, stressing they were done in good faith to sanitise employments made into the Public Service.

“The Public Service must always function independently and professionally; it should break free from political interference,” he said. 

In defending this posture of the NDC, Quashie underscored that the government’s current actions are aimed at weeding out unqualified and unprofessional people from the Public Service and ensuring that competent and qualified people are employed to man our services. Quashie emphasised the legitimacy of the dismissals by stating that their recruitment was politically motivated rather than being based on merit, qualifications, or national needs. He pointed out the timing after December 7th raises concerns about irregularities, rushed appointments and a deliberate attempt to overburden the incoming administration, giving the government the right to review and nullify last-minute appointments that did not follow due process. 

In furtherance of his justification for the mass revocation of the recruitments, Quashie references the recent National Service Scheme (NSS) scandal, which exposed widespread corruption in public sector recruitment. To him, this serves as a strong justification for cleaning up the public sector, ensuring that all corruption-related individuals are removed, and reinforcing accountability in government institutions by preventing politically motivated and fraudulent appointments that undermine transparency, efficiency and national interest. 

“The era in which the Public Service is used to reward political individuals or followers must cease forthwith”, he stressed, adding that the state must ensure the Public Service works in the interest of and for the betterment of the Ghanaian people. 

To achieve this, the SA Council Chair proffered that the government must ensure that employment opportunities are available to all qualified Ghanaians, not just those aligned with a particular political party. This, according to him, would offer many deserving candidates the opportunity to compete favourably for government employment opportunities. 

Such actions are intended to curtail they being overlooked in favour of last-minute, politically influenced appointments, making it essential to follow proper recruitment processes that uphold fairness and transparency in hiring decisions. Mr. Quashie expresses worry at the NPP’s posture, highlighting the NPP has undertaken similar reviews and dismissals of politically motivated late appointments in their immediate past government. This happened because public sector appointments must follow proper procedures and approvals, and if these were bypassed, the appointments would be void, especially when some were not captured in the national budget, making them financially unsustainable.

Assuring Ghanaians of the NDC’s determination to do the right things, Quashie noted factually that the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has emphatically stated that the 15,200 nurses recruited between June and August 2024 will not be asked to go home, which further justifies the actions of the Chief of Staff regarding procedural lapses in post-election recruitments.

The NDC government, according to him, is committed to transparency and accountability in governance by protecting public institutions from political exploitation, ensuring that employment decisions are fair and justified, and guaranteeing that future employment processes are based on national interest rather than political advantage.

Conversely, “anybody recruited after December 7th, rather unfortunately, we would review those appointments,” he noted.

As President Mahama prepares to give Ghanaians his first State of the Nation Address after swearing in, most Ghanaians are patiently waiting to assess how he answers such thorny issues as revocation of appointments at a time when youth unemployment is very high, and the steps his government intends to adopt to provide job opportunities for the youth.

Former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has dismissed allegations of an extravagant lifestyle during his tenure made by South Dayi MP, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor.

In a letter demanding a retraction and apology, Dame described the claims as utterly false and a fabrication of facts. The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, was copied in the letter to draw attention to what Dame termed as “dishonourable conduct” by Dafeamekpor outside the parliamentary chamber.

The former minister noted that the allegations were made by the Majority Chief Whip on Accra-based TV3’s The Key Points programme on Saturday, February 22, 2025.

Dafeamekpor had accused Dame of moving with a heavy military escort and living beyond modest means. However, Dame has dismissed these claims as baseless and damaging to his reputation.

“In utter disregard for the truth, my reputation, and rights, you published the following words… The allegations by you are clearly a product of your fertile imagination and highlight your skill at fabricating facts, a tendency most unworthy of a leader of the Majority in Parliament,” he stated.

Dame further clarified his security arrangements during his eight years of public service, stating that he never had more than one bodyguard.

At no point in time in my eight-year public service, between 2017 and 2025, did I have more than one bodyguard. At no point in time did I have a Land Cruiser or any other brand of vehicle following me with bodyguards. I never had a military convoy,” he said.

He emphasized that his security detail remained minimal even after assuming the substantive role of Attorney-General, maintaining the same single bodyguard.

“As a Deputy Attorney-General, I was assigned one bodyguard following an assessment of the security risks around me. Following my appointment as the substantive Attorney-General and Minister for Justice on March 5, 2021, I continued with the same one bodyguard to the end of my tenure,” he revealed.

The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, has clarified that it is not the commission’s policy for its members, including the chairperson and deputies, to attend swearing-in ceremonies unless they receive an official invitation.

Speaking at an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Wednesday, February 26, to review the 2024 general elections, Jean Mensa revealed that the commission did not receive an invitation to attend the swearing-in of President John Dramani Mahama or any ministerial inaugurations.

Her remarks come in response to questions about her absence at President Mahama’s swearing-in ceremony.

Mahama was officially sworn in on January 7, 2025, at Black Star Square in Accra, marking the start of his second term after securing victory in the 2024 general elections. The ceremony was attended by dignitaries, political leaders, and citizens who gathered to witness the event.

Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo administered the oath of office, reaffirming Mahama’s commitment to serving Ghana and upholding the Constitution.

Addressing the matter, Jean Mensa stated: “I was here in the country, but per policy, the commission members, chairperson, and deputies don’t attend swearing-ins. Indeed, it is also by invitation, and we have never received an invitation to the swearing-in.

“I know that dignitaries and special guests are invited. But it has always been a matter of policy that we do not attend swearing-in ceremonies. At least for the duration that we have been in office, we have never attended any swearing-in ceremony,” she explained.

Presidential Advisor for the 24-hour economy, Goosie Obuadum Tanoh, has defended the government’s decision to revoke all public sector appointments and recruitments made after the December 7 elections.

He emphasized the need for responsible hiring decisions, insisting such measures are necessary to prevent the collapse of institutions already burdened by an unsustainable wage bill.

His remarks follow a directive from Chief of Staff Julius Debrah on February 11, 2025, ordering the revocation of public service appointments and recruitments made after December 7.

Minister of State for Government Communication, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, justified government’s decision and accused the previous Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration of bypassing due process in making last-minute public service appointments.

Speaking on the sidelines of a symposium organized by the Africa Center for Governance and Economic Management (ACGEM) on February 26, 2025, in Accra, Tanoh explained that the measure is necessary to prevent institutions from collapsing, as no budgetary provisions were made for these recruitments.

“As a responsible government that wants to see change, it is important to balance costs with revenues. We cannot hire people reck and leave institutions to suffer. Some of these actions are necessary to save those institutions from collapsing because the wage bill is high. Unfortunately, nobody wants to see a fellow Ghanaian out of work, but the reality is that many of these appointments were made without considering the employment budget, hiring plan, or HR budget,” he stated.