REPUBLIC vs. EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, KUMASI CITY COUNCIL; EX PARTE GYIMAH AND OTHERS [1980]DLHC1627

REPUBLIC vs. EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, KUMASI CITY COUNCIL; EX PARTE GYIMAH AND OTHE... [1980]DLHC1627

Date	1980-05-05
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1980]DLHC1627

JONES-MENSAH J.

HAYFRON-BENJAMIN FOR THE APPLICANTS.

[1980]DLHC1627
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >REPUBLIC<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;vs. <o:p></o:p>EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, KUMASI CITY COUNCIL; EX PARTE GYIMAH AND
OTHERS<o:p></o:p>[HIGH COURT, KUMASI] <o:p></o:p>[1980] GLR 466<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

DATE:
5 MAY, 1980<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

HAYFRON-BENJAMIN FOR THE APPLICANTS.<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM:
<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 0in 0in">

JONES-MENSAH J.<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>JUDGMENT OF JONES-MENSAH J.<o:p></o:p>This is
an application filed by fourteen Honourable Councillors of the Kumasi City
Council for leave to issue a writ of quo warranto directed against Nana Akwasi
Agyeman, to show by what authority he is presuming to exercise office of the
Executive Chairman of the Kumasi City Council and exercising the functions
thereof. The grounds on which the application is founded are:<o:p></o:p>1. That
by virtue of the judgment of the High Court, Kumasi, dated 14 April 1980, in
Gyimah v. Agyeman [1981] G.L.R. 427 the right resides in the Councillors of the
Kumasi City Council to elect or appoint one of their number the Chairman of the
Kumasi City Council. The respondent not having been so appointed, the
appointment is void.<o:p></o:p>2. That
by virtue of the decision of the High Court dated 14 April 1980, the term of
office of the respondent has expired on 18 January 1980, the respondent’s term
of office could not in terms of section 7 (2) of the transitional provisions of
the Constitution, 1979, be renewed.<o:p></o:p>3. That
the appointment of the respondent is in any case irregular and without
authority.<o:p></o:p>4. That
the office of executive chairman being unknown to the Constitution, 1979, it is
contrary to the letter and spirit of the provisions of article 182 of the said
Constitution for the respondent to presume to exercise the office and functions
of an Executive Chairman of the Kumasi City Council.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>From
these grounds they seek to pray for the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p>1. An
order of injunction restraining the respondent, Nana Akwasi Agyeman, from
exercising the office and functions of Executive Chairman of the Kumasi City
Council.<o:p></o:p>2. An
order declaring the office of Chairman (whether executive or regular) of the
Kumasi City Council vacant.<o:p></o:p>

In moving
the motion, Mr. Hayfron-Benjamin was not, as usual, guilty of tedious
repetition. With commendable brevity he nursed and nurtured the grounds on
which he relied following the track set out in papers filed in support of his
application. With befitting courtesy Mr. Hayfron-Benjamin prayed for leave for
writ of quo warranto to issue to the offending Nana Akwasi Agyeman about whose
re-appointment to the office of Executive Chairman of the Kumasi City Council
with effect from 20 January 1980, made subsequent to the judgment of 14 April
1980 to which the applicants cling tight, he does not profess to doubt.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>In
praying this court for leave for writ of quo warranto to issue, the applicants
flag this court’s judgment of 14 April 1980 in Gyimah v. Agyeman [1981] G.L.R.
427 delivered by Roger Korsah J., and held it out as having declared that the
right to appoint one of their number as Chairman of the Kumasi City Council
resides in the Councillors of the Kumasi City Council exclusively. Accordingly,
they argue that the purported re-appointment of the respondent, Nana Akwasi
Agyeman, by the government as chairman is invalid and so Nana Akwasi Agyeman
has usurped office and should be enjoined by this court.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>That
apart, they also argue that section 8A of the Local Administration</main>