PROGRESSIVE PEOPLES PARTY (PPP) vs. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL [2015]DLSC3210

Date	2015-07-28
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J1/8/2014
Citation No.	[2015]DLSC3210

ANSAH JSC (PRESIDING)

ANIN YEBOAH JSC

BAFFOE BONNIE JSC

GBADEGBE JSC

AKOTO BAMFO (Mrs.) JSC

BENIN JSC

AKAMBA JSC

A. A. SOMUAH ASAMOAH ESQ. WITH HIM DENNIS OFOSUAPEA AND KINGSLEY AMOAKWA BOADU FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

HON. DOMINIC AYINE (DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL) WITH HIM EFUAH ABBAM (PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY) FOR THE DEFENDANT.

[2015]DLSC3210
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >PROGRESSIVE
PEOPLES PARTY (PPP)<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<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">

CIVIL APPEAL NO. J1/8/2014&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
DATE: 28TH
JULY, 2015<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>A.&nbsp; A.&nbsp;
SOMUAH ASAMOAH ESQ. WITH HIM DENNIS OFOSUAPEA AND KINGSLEY AMOAKWA BOADU
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">

HON. DOMINIC AYINE (DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL) WITH
HIM EFUAH ABBAM (PRINCIPAL STATE ATTORNEY) FOR
THE&nbsp;&nbsp; DEFENDANT.<o:p></o:p>

ANSAH JSC
(PRESIDING), ANIN YEBOAH JSC, BAFFOE BONNIE JSC, GBADEGBE JSC, AKOTO BAMFO
(Mrs.) JSC, BENIN JSC, AND AKAMBA JSC<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

JUDGEMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>AKAMBA,
JSC:<o:p></o:p>On 14th May
2015 this Court unanimously dismissed the above writ, but we reserved our
reasons. We now proceed to indicate the reasons for the said decision.<o:p></o:p>The Plaintiff is a duly
established political party in Ghana. The Defendant is the nominal
representative of the Republic. Plaintiff issued a writ in this Court on 31st
March 2014 seeking seven reliefs. <o:p></o:p>RELIEFS
SOUGHT<o:p></o:p>The reliefs were fashioned
as follows:<o:p></o:p>“(a) A declaration that on the true
and proper interpretation of articles 25 (1) (a) and 38 (2) of the 1992
Constitution, Government of Ghana had only twelve years commencing from January
7, 1993 to January 6, 2005 to have delivered to the Ghanaian Children of School
going age free, compulsory and universal basic education and that the
Government has failed in discharging the said constitutional duty imposed on
her by the people of Ghana.<o:p></o:p>(b) A declaration that on the true and
proper interpretation of articles 14 (1) (e), 25 (1) (a) and 38 (2) of the 1992
Constitution, the Government of Ghana has a constitutional duty to compel
children of school going age within the Republic who refuse and or fail so to
do to be at school without fail and that Ghana Government failure to so act
thereto constitutes an omission that is inconsistent with the Constitution.<o:p></o:p>(c) A declaration that section 2 of
Education Act, 2008, (Act 778) as amended, to the extent that it fails to
provide for compulsion on the children of school going age who refuse and or
fail to attend basic education instructions, to so attend, and also to provide
for the law and procedure within which to exercise that compulsion, is an
omission, that is inconsistent with and in contravention to articles 14 (1)
(e), 25 (1) (a) and 38 (2) of the 1992 Constitution and that consequently, to
the extent of such inconsistency, the said section 2 of the Education Act, 2008
(Act 778) is void and of no effect.<o:p></o:p>(d) A declaration that section 2 (6)
of Education Act, 2008, (Act 778) as amended, to the extent that it derogates
from 25 (1) (a) and 38 (2) of the 1992 Constitution, is inconsistent and in
contravention of the Constitution and that consequently, to the extent of such
inconsistency, the said section 2 (6) of Education Act, 2008 (Act 778) as
amended is void and of no effect.<o:p></o:p>(e) An order directed at Government of
Ghana to take steps forthwith to compel children of school going age within the
Republic who refuse and or fail to attend a course of instructions at the
basic&nbsp; school, to attend basic school
instructions, including legislating to lay bare the laws and procedure thereto
within which such compulsion is to be exercised.<o:p></o:p>(f) An order directed at Government of
Ghana to take steps forthwith leading to the amendment of section 2 (6) of the
Education Act making same imperative and mandatory instead of permissive and
empowering.<o:p></o:p>(g) Any other order the Court so
desires to make and or directions for giving effect or enabling effect to be
given to the declarations so made.” &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>The parties subsequently
filed their respective statements of case in accordance with the rules of this
court. <o:p></o:p>PLAINTIFF’S
SUBMISSIONS<o:p></o:p>The plaintiffs’ submissions</main>