Akufo-Addo’s trip unconstitutional – Minority

The Minority in Parliament has said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has violated the 1992 constitution for failing to inform the House about his trip to Belgium on a national assignment.

The President left Ghana on Monday June 5, 2017 to Belgium as part of his visit to that country, ahead of the conduct of the meetings of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Advocates Group of Eminent Personalities.

But the Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu on Wednesday June 7 on the floor of parliament quoted Standing Order (53) (1d) to support his claim that the President violated the constitution by not informing parliament about the trip.

That portion of the constitution compels the President of the republic to notify the house prior to a journey out of the country on national assignment.

He, therefore, described the failure of the president to inform the house as disrespect for the constitution.

Accra News’ Richard Appiah Sarpong reported that in response, however, the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye, read a communiqué from the seat of government that informed the House of the president’s trip.

The communiqué as read by the Speaker indicated the President is expected to spend seven days visiting other European countries to engage Ghanaians in the diaspora and also some bilateral discussions.