NPP undermines Parliament by relying on Supreme Court – Kofi Adams

Following the ongoing power struggle in Ghana’s parliament, Kofi Adams, Member of Parliament (MP) for the Buem Constituency, has expressed his disappointment over the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) approach to parliamentary influence.

Mr. Adams, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), highlighted his party’s frustration with the NPP’s reliance on the Supreme Court to sway parliamentary decisions, which he sees as ultimately undermining the country’s democratic balance.

“If the NPP MPs had chosen to occupy the majority side, the NDC would have walked out of parliament,” Adams stated, underscoring the tensions that have brewed in recent months.

His remarks came during his appearance on Newsfile on Joy Prime monitored by MyNewsGH.com, where he elaborated on the reasons behind this hypothetical move, which he believed would have sent a message about his party’s dedication to a democratic multi-party system.

With a well-worn copy of Ghana’s constitution in hand, Adams explained how the NPP’s approach has contradicted democratic values.

Flipping through specific clauses, he pointed out sections he believes the NPP has violated by depending on a Supreme Court “occupied by individuals affiliated with the ruling party.”

He argued that this reliance on the court for interpretative authority not only disrupts the balance between the branches of government but also disregards the power vested in parliament to handle such issues.

“The Constitution clearly states that it’s not only the Supreme Court that can interpret laws,” Adams asserted, emphasizing that both the executive and parliament have roles in interpreting and applying the law.

“It’s backed by the Constitution according to the functions they perform,” he noted, arguing that parliamentary oversight should have been prioritized in these cases rather than escalating them directly to the judicial level.

He did not hold back from critiquing his colleague lawmaker and Leader of the New Patriotic Party caucus, Alexander Afenyo-Markin for taking issues to court before addressing them within the parliamentary setting.

Adams argued, “The influence of parliament is enormous, yet the NPP chose the Supreme Court, sidelining parliament’s critical role. That’s highly problematic.”

Adams’ stance brings into focus the delicate nature of Ghana’s multi-party democracy, with the MP urging the governing party to consider the broader implications of their actions on the democratic structure.