Parliament has no authority to investigate Ofori-Atta for conflict of interest – Kweku Baako

Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jnr, has said Parliament of Ghana has no power to investigate the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta for allegations of conflict of interest.

The Minority in parliament on Thursday, November 10, 2022, moved a motion for a vote of censure to be passed on the minister of finance by the house.

Among other things, the minority cited conflict of interest as the first grounds for the motion.

But reacting to this in a text message sent to Metro TV morning show Good Morning Ghana, Mr Baako alluded that the issue of conflict of interest will fail because the parliament lacks jurisdiction on the matter.

“Parliament has no jurisdiction to interrogate the issue of "Conflict of Interest"! Per Article 287 of the Constitution, it is CHRAJ that is vested with the exclusive jurisdiction to investigate complaints under Chapter 24 of the Constitution," he said.

"Indeed, I want to believe Sammy is very conversant with this point because the Supreme Court amplified that point in the Okudzeto Ablakwa/Omane Boamah vrs Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey and Attorney-General case. Speaker Doe Adjaho was guided by that SC verdict in refusing to admit the motion on the Ford Expedition Vehicle saga on 1st September, 2016!” the text read by the host of the show, Dr Randy Abbey said.

The speaker after admitting the motion and rejecting a preliminary objection to the motion by the majority side has referred the motion to an 8-member ad hoc committee to investigate the motion and make recommendations to the house.

But according to Kweku Baako Jnr, the issue of impropriety against the minister “if it is indeed contained in the "Motion for Censure" may run into a "constitutional minefield" both at the Ad-Hoc Committee level and outside Parliament unless it is tabled before CHRAJ for determination!”

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