DAFEAMEKPOR ROCKSON-NELSON & 2ORS. vs. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL [2024]DLSC17448

Date	2024-04-24
Suit No.	WRIT NO. J1/13/2O21
Citation No.	[2024]DLSC17448

SACKEY TORKORNOO (MRS.) CJ (PRESIDING)

PWAMANG JSC

LOVELACE-JOHNSON (MS.) JSC

PROF. MENSA-BONSU (MRS.) JSC

ACKAH-YENSU (MS.) JSC

ASIEDU JSC

NII KPAKPO SAMOA ADDO ESQ.

GEORGE KODZO ADABADZE

DIANA ASONABA DAPAAH

REGINALD NII ODOI

[2024]DLSC17448
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><a name="_Hlk161040248"></a><a name="_Hlk152146143"><span style="font-size:
12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:
&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0">DAFEAMEKPOR
ROCKSON-NELSON &amp; 2ORS.<o:p></o:p></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0">&nbsp;(PLAINTIFFS)<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;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;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0">THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL <o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
11.0pt;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B0F0"><o:p></o:p>[SUPREME
COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><a name="_heading=h.gjdgxs"></a>&nbsp;<div style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none; border-image: initial; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: black; padding: 0cm 0cm 1pt;">

WRIT
NO. J1/13/2O21&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: 24TH APRIL,
2024<o:p></o:p>

<span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,serif;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">NII KPAKPO SAMOA ADDO ESQ. FOR THE PLAINTIFFS WITH
HIM, GEORGE KODZO ADABADZE, DIANA ASONABA DAPAAH (DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL) FOR
THE DEFENDANT WITH HER, REGINALD NII ODOI {ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY).<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM <o:p></o:p>SACKEY TORKORNOO (MRS.) CJ
(PRESIDING) <o:p></o:p>PWAMANG JSC<o:p></o:p>LOVELACE-JOHNSON (MS.) JSC<o:p></o:p>PROF. MENSA-BONSU (MRS.) JSC <o:p></o:p>ACKAH-YENSU (MS.) JSC<o:p></o:p>ASIEDU JSC <o:p></o:p>GAEWU JSC<o:p></o:p><div style="border-top-width: 1.5pt; border-top-color: windowtext; border-left: none; border-bottom-width: 1.5pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right: none; padding: 1pt 0cm 0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;tab-stops:4.5pt;
border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>PROF.
MENSA-BONSU JSC:<o:p></o:p>This
is an action by the three plaintiffs to challenge the capacity of the Professor
Ntiamoa Baidu Committee appointed by the President under Article 71, to make
recommendations on the emoluments of listed public officials under article 71,
and deemed by the plaintiffs to be in contravention of Articles 71(1) and
Article 2(2) of the Ghana Constitution,1992.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;FACTS
AND BACKGROUND:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;As
provided under article 71(1) of the Constitution, the President of the Republic
is enjoined to set up a Committee to make recommendations in respect of the
emoluments and other privileges of Article 71 holders and to examine any other
relevant matters which the Committee considered appropriate to its work. The
Committee compiled a report dated June 2020, and titled "Report of the
Presidential Committee on Emoluments for Article 71 Office Holders January
2017-December 2020." The Report was presented to Parliament and the
Presidency in 2020. On 6th January, 2021 Parliament approved the
recommendations contained in the Report.<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;In
the Report, the Committee stated its intention to make proposals to formalize a
practice of paying allowances to spouses of the President and Vice-President.
The Committee therefore made recommendations to cover spouses of sitting and
former Presidents as part of privileges extended to the President and Vice
President.<o:p></o:p>The
plaintiffs contend that it is not open to the committee to make recommendations
on any matter it so chooses and that such recommendation would be ultra vires
the committee. Therefore, the plaintiffs are by this writ invoking the original
jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under Articles 2(1)(a) and Articles 130(1)(a)
of the Ghana Constitution,1992 seeking the following declarations:<o:p></o:p>&nbsp;1.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<spa</main>