Akufo-Addo’s appointments not unlawful – Lawyer

President-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has not made any official appointments and has, therefore, not acted unconstitutionally in making appointments, a senior lecturer at the Ghana School of Law, Maxwell Opoku-Agyemang, has said.

Some have suggested that the president-elect may have breached portions of the Presidential Office Act. According to them the president-elect had to make appointments in consultation with the Council of State.

This follows the naming of some people as the backroom staff in the incoming Akufo-Addo government by the president-elect.

Speaking on 12Live on Class 91.3FM on Thursday January 5, Mr Opoku-Agyemang said: “Appointment is not through the microphone; appointments in public office are made by written appointment letters, containing conditions of service pursuant to whatever act that is made… Naming people alone is not appointment,” he noted.

According to Mr Opoku-Agyemang those named by Mr Akufo-Addo as his appointees and backroom staff are not working as official appointees.

“Where did he (Akufo-Addo) make the pronouncement? Was it not at his private residence? Are these people being paid by the state? Is she (Frema Osei-Opare) Chief of Staff of the president-elect or Chief of Staff of the president? At the moment do we have a president? We have a president-elect who is making certain pronouncements as to people that he indicates will work with him subject to all the processes. If after the 7th of January you see any appointment that is…inconsistent with any provision of the law, then you have every right to question it,” Mr Opoku-Agyemang stressed.