X-TRA GOLD MINING LIMITED vs. ATTORNEY-GENERAL [2016]DLSC2825

Date	2016-07-28
Suit No.	CIVIL APPEAL NO. J1/23/2015
Citation No.	[2016]DLSC2825

DOTSE JSC (PRESIDING)

ANIN-YEBOAH JSC

BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC

GBADEGBE JSC

AKOTO-BAMFO (MRS.) JSC

BENIN JSC

PWAMANG JSC

INNOCENT AKWAYENA FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

MRS. DOROTHY AFRIYIE ANSAH (CSA) WITH HER ZENAB AYARIGA (ASA) LED BY DR. DOMINIC AYINE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE DEFENDANT

[2016]DLSC2825
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >X-TRA GOLD MINING LIMITED<o:p></o:p>vs.<o:p></o:p>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. J1/23/2015&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, 2016<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:&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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<o:p></o:p>INNOCENT
AKWAYENA 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">

MRS.
DOROTHY AFRIYIE ANSAH (CSA) WITH HER ZENAB AYARIGA (ASA) LED BY DR. DOMINIC
AYINE, DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE DEFENDANT <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 1.0pt 0in">

DOTSE JSC
(PRESIDING), ANIN-YEBOAH JSC, BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC, GBADEGBE JSC, AKOTO-BAMFO
(MRS.) JSC, BENIN JSC, AND PWAMANG JSC&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <o:p></o:p>

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

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

</div>BENIN,
JSC<o:p></o:p>The facts of this case are quite straight forward but
the Plaintiff introduced a lot of material that is irrelevant for the exercise
of our jurisdiction for judicial review of legislation that has been properly
invoked. Accordingly we shall trim the facts to those required for the purpose
of determining the real issue before the court.<o:p></o:p>In 2009, the Parliament of Ghana passed into law the
Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009 (Act 793). It is a short
piece of legislation with only three Sections as follows;<o:p></o:p>“Specified enactments<o:p></o:p>1. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For the enactments specified
in the first column of the Schedule and in relation to the revenue items
specified in the second column of the Schedule, there is substituted for the
fees and charges specified in the third column of the Schedule, the fees and
charges specified in the fourth column of the Schedule.<o:p></o:p>Transfer of power<o:p></o:p>2. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (1) The authority
conferred under the enactments set out in the first column of the Schedule to
determine fees and charges is hereby transferred to the Minister responsible
for Finance and Economic Planning and accordingly those enactments are hereby
amended.<o:p></o:p>(2)
The Minister for Finance and Economic Planning may by Legislative Instrument
amend the Schedule to this Act.”<o:p></o:p>Pursuant to Section 2(2) of Act 793, the Minister for
Finance made the Fees and Charges (Amendment) Instrument, 2012 (L.I. 2191) and
added the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands Act, 1994 (Act 481) to the
enactments covered by Act 793. He proceeded to determine and fix ground rent
payable in respect of lands subject to a mineral right. The ground rent as
fixed in L.I. 2191 was changed by the Minister for Finance in 2013 and 2014 by
the making of L.I. 2206 and L.I. 2216 respectively. All the above Legislative
Instruments were duly laid in parliament as required by Article 11(7) of the
Constitution and came into force.<o:p></o:p>Basing itself on the above Legislative Instruments,
the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands calculated ground rent payable
by plaintiff in respect of five mining leases it owns and served invoices on
it. Plaintiff refused to pay the amounts claimed because, according to him, the
Legislative Instruments made by the Minister for Finance were void as the
authority given by Parliament to the Minister to amend Act 793 was
unconstitutional. Plaintiff therefore brought the instant action for the
following reliefs:<o:p></o:p><span lang="EN-GB" 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;;
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
i.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
A
declaration that on a true and proper construction or interpretation of Article
267(3) of the Constitution, the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands ha</main>