Former Presidential Staffer un the former President John Mahama administration, Stan Dogbe has taken to his Facebook page to school some members of the New Patriotic Party who are saying it is lawful for President Akufo-Addo to appoint some people as Acting Ministers of State.
“Politics can make some to become dumbheads, often caused by themselves. I am reading reactions from some NPP activists to a JoyFM story quoting the Leader of the NDC Caucus in Parliament and MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, reminding (court challenged) President Nana Akufo-Addo that there is nothing and there cannot be any position called Acting Minister.” – Stan said
According to him. “These reactions are either belittling the issue and asking him to go to court, or questioning the point he makes, which is fact, both in common sense and as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.”
“If you are not a political dumbhead, please argue and provide the provisions of the Constitution that stipulates the position of Acting Minister or Ministerial Representatives for that matter.” – he fires.
Mr. Dogbe explained that “A Minister of State is what the position states, and that person must go through a certain process and formality to take up the position. As of this material moment, anybody holding a position of Minister of State ceased to be so on January 06. Until one is nominated, vetted, approved by Parliament and sworn into office by the PoG [President of Ghana], one cannot hold him or herself out as a Minister of State.”
He emphasized that “For one to act as a Minister of State therefore or be a Representative at a Ministry on behalf of the President, that person should have been so appointed per the Constitution.”
Read his full post:
Politics can make some to become dumbheads, often caused by themselves. I am reading reactions from some NPP activists to a JoyFM story quoting the Leader of the NDC Caucus in Parliament and MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, reminding (court challenged) President Nana Akufo-Addo that there is nothing and there cannot be any position called Acting Minister.
These reactions are either belittling the issue and asking him to go to court, or questioning the point he makes, which is fact, both in common sense and as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
If you are not a political dumbhead, please argue and provide the provisions of the Constitution that stipulates the position of Acting Minister or Ministerial Representatives for that matter.
A Minister of State is what the position states, and that person must go through a certain process and formality to take up the position. As of this material moment, anybody holding a position of Minister of State ceased to be so on January 06. Until one is nominated, vetted, approved by Parliament and sworn into office by the PoG, one cannot hold him or herself out as a Minister of State.
It is precisely the reason why a Deputy Minister of State cannot act as Minister in the absence of the substantive Minister, because s/he was nominated, vetted, approved and sworn in as a Deputy Minister of State and not a Minister.
For one to act as a Minister of State therefore or be a Representative at a Ministry on behalf of the President, that person should have been so appointed per the Constitution.
In that case, the PoG can choose to nominate one person, have him/her vetted, approved and sworn in, and make him Acting Minister of all the ministries.
So, before you allow yourself to become a political dumbhead, if you are not doing that deliberately just because of political talk talk, then please get your facts right.
And I will be surprised if the lawyers within the administration aren’t aware of these basic facts of law.
#RespectMyVote