Opposition accuses NPP government of ripping the constitution

Barely seven weeks in power, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has been accused by the Minority of ripping the constitution, which it has sworn to obey and defend.

At a well attended press briefing in Accra on Tuesday, the Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin, said the minority was alarmed at the spate of abuses the constitution has suffered from key operatives of the government within their short period in office.

He was particularly irked by the action of Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, minister for Local Government and Rural Development, who had allegedly jumped the gun by signing letters dismissing District Chief Executives on January 22 when he had not yet been sworn into office.

The minister was sworn in on February 2.

Mr Bagbin, who displayed copies of the letter, said the minister\'s action was not only a rip of the constitution but also an attempt to erode the basis of constitutional rule.

He said that though the minority had cautioned the government against this breech of the law when it became evident that most of the ministerial nominees were acting unconstitutionally, the NPP officials contended that they were acting as representatives of the government.

The minority leader said Mr Baah-Wiredu\'s action has vindicated the opposition who are prepared to perform their watchdog functions adequately to protect the constitution and prevent \"serious breeches of the law by those in authority\".

He also mentioned an order by the Central Regional Minister revoking the membership of government appointees on District Assemblies as an infringement on the constitution, saying \"the regional minister has no such powers; it is the president who appoints one-third of the members after consultation with some groups\".

Mr Bagbin described the regional minister\'s action as \"an infraction of the constitution\", adding that those who were appointed are well placed professionals who act as resource persons to the district assemblies and that the mode of their dismissal was wrong.

The minority leader said the regional minister should have written to those affected instead of going on air and the pages of newspapers to do so.

He said it was time to draw the brakes and ensure that the government operates within the ambit of the constitution instead of allowing its functionaries to flout the law deliberately and get away with it.

Mr Bagbin pledged the commitment of the opposition to \"take the government through the due processes of the law\" if it continues to violate provisions in the constitution.

Concluding, he said the minority promised to co-operate fully with the government in the interest of the nation. Nevertheless, it will not condone illegality.He said that the pledge of co-operation should not be seen as a weakness on the part of the opposition.

Reacting to the accusations in an interview with the GNA, Mr Baah-Wiredu attributed the wrong date to an administrative error, \"which was detected on the same day and rectified\".

He showed the GNA copies of a letter with the same contents dated February 2 with an addendum nullifying the copies that were dated January 22.

The minister explained that the letter was saved in the computer and when he ordered its release, the secretary failed to alter the date even though they were dispatched on February 2 after he had assumed office.