The Supreme Court, has ordered that all Members of Parliament who were allegedly paid double salaries under the past government should be served by way of substituted service after some of them were evading service of the writ of summons issued against them by the Nono Regional Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe Abronye.
The Court ordered that, the order for substituted service should be published in the Daily Graphic and Daily Guide respectively within 14 days from the date of posting.
Article 98 of the 1992 Constitution bars Members of Parliament from holding any other office of profit or emolument, be it private or public, and whether directly or indirectly, unless with the permission of Mr./Madam Speaker’s permission; and on the grounds that the conflict of interest concerns are not triggered and that the MP’s core responsibilities are not prejudiced.
Abronye wants the Supreme Court to compel the former Ministers/Deputy Ministers who served under the Mills-Mahama administrations, who were also elected Members of Parliament between 2009 and 2016, to pay back to the Republic, all double salaries received within the period.
The defendants in the case are Minority Leader and former Trade and Industry Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, Alhassan Azong, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, Eric Opoku, Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, Mark Owen Woyongo, Comfort Doyoe Ghanasah, and Aquinas Tawiah Quansah.
The rests are the Controller and Accountant General and the Attorney General.
The presiding judge, His Lordship Clemence Honyenuga, while granting the application, said “good and substantial reasons have been urged for the grant of the application.”
Ashantibiz
