NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY vs. ATTORNEY-GENERAL [1994]DLSC767

Date	1994-03-08
Suit No.
Citation No.	[1994]DLSC767

ARCHER CJ JSC

ADADE FRANCOIS JSC

ABBAN JSC

AMUA-SEKYI JSC

AIKINS JSC

BAMFORD-ADDO JSC

HAYFRON-BENJAMIN JSC

AMPIAH JSC

PETER ALA ADJETEY (WITH HIM SAM OKUDZETO KOJO AFRAM ASIEDU AND WILLIAM ADDO) FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

MARTIN A. AMIDU DEPUTY ATTORNEY-GENERAL (WITH HIM MRS ADUSA AMANKWAH CHIEF STATE ATTORNEY) FOR THE DEFENDANT.

[1994]DLSC767
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">vs.<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
color:#00B0F0">ATTORNEY-GENERAL<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p>[1993-94] 2 GLR 35<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">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:right;
mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">Date: 8 MARCH
1994<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>PETER ALA ADJETEY (WITH HIM SAM OKUDZETO, KOJO AFRAM ASIEDU AND
WILLIAM ADDO) FOR THE PLAINTIFF.<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">

MARTIN A. AMIDU, DEPUTY ATTORNEY-GENERAL (WITH HIM MRS ADUSA
AMANKWAH, CHIEF STATE ATTORNEY) FOR THE DEFENDANT. <o:p></o:p>

ARCHER CJ, ADADE FRANCOIS, ABBAN, AMUA-SEKYI, AIKINS,
BAMFORD-ADDO, HAYFRON-BENJAMIN AND AMPIAH JJSC<o:p></o:p>

</div>JUDGMENT OF ARCHER CJ.<o:p></o:p>On 24 February 1966 this country witnessed the first coup d’etat
in her political history. The government of the First Republic was overthrown
by the Ghana Armed Forces in collaboration with the Ghana Police Force. A
Proclamation was issued conferring both the legislative and executive powers of
the State on a National Liberation Council. The judiciary remained unscathed
after the Proclamation which suspended the Constitution, 1960 of the First.
Republic which came into force on 1 July 1960.<o:p></o:p>On 22 August 1969 the Second Republican Constitution came into
force and the Constitution, 1960 was abrogated. Part IV of the transitional
provisions in the Constitution, 1969 granted indemnity to those who staged the
Coup on 24 February 1966. Chapter 9 of the Constitution, 1969 vested the
judicial power of Ghana in the judiciary. Article 102(3) of the Constitution,
1969 guaranteed the independence the judiciary. For the first time in the legal
history of this country, the American concept of the doctrine of separation of
powers could be discerned throughout that document, namely the powers of the
legislature, the executive and the judiciary.<o:p></o:p>On 13 January 1972 there was yet another coup d’etat and the
Constitution, 1969 was suspended by a Proclamation which establish a National
Redemption Council (NRC) to be succeeded for a brief period by a Supreme
Military Council (SMC) until 4 June 1979 when the Armed Forces Revolutionary
Council. (AFRC) took over from Supreme Military Council.<o:p></o:p>On 24 September 1979 the Third Republican Constitution, 1979 came
into force. At this stage, it must be pointed out that the doctrine of
separation of powers still pervaded the Second and Third Republican
Constitutions and in substance there was not much difference in the substance
and wording of the two Constitutions except that in the Second Republican
Constitution there was a provision for a ceremonial President and a Prime
Minister whereas the Third Republican Constitution reintroduced the
presidential system of government.<o:p></o:p>On 31 December 1981 there was another coup d’etat and by a
Proclamation, the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) was established
and it governed this country until 7 January 1993 when Fourth Republican
Constitution, 1992 came into force and the present government known as the
National Democratic Congress with two other parties, the National Convention
Party and the Egle Party, formed alliance and assumed the reins of government.
Under an existing law, namely the Public Holidays Law, 1989 (PNDCL 220), the
present government notified the public of its programme to celebrate anniversary
of the 31 December 1981 revolution which has been specified in the Schedule to
PNDCL 220. The intended celebration the of 31 December 1981 revolution invoked
the wrath and indignation of interested sections of the public who were
vehemently opposed to coups.<o:p></o:p>On 21 December 1993 the plaintiff, a registered political party,
issue a writ invoking the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under
articles 2(1)(b) and 130(1) of the Constitution, 1992 under rule 45 of Supreme
Court Rules, 1970 (Cl 13) claiming the following reliefs:<o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">“(1) A declaration that the public celebration of the overthrow of
the legally constituted Government of Ghana on 21 December 1981, and the
financing of such celebration from public funds is inconsistent with, or in
contravention of the letter and spirit of the Constitution, 1992 and more
particularly articles 3(3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) and 35(1) and 41(b) thereof. <o:p></o:p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;
margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-padding-alt:
31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">(2) An order directing the Government of Ghana to cancel all
preparations for the celebration of the overthrow of the legally constituted
Government of Ghana on 31 December 1981 aforesaid and to refrain from carrying
out any such celebration financed from public funds.”<o:p></o:p>The writ was issued against the Attorney-General as the defendant
who admitted almost all the averments in the statement of the plaintiff’s case
but contended, inter alia, that 3</main>