"Parliament .. is subject to the Constitution" J H Mensah

accra mr j.h. mensah, minority leader today said though parliament is sovereign over its own procedures, it is subject to the constitution. "whatever the supreme court say is the law and parliament must conform with it", he said.

mr j.h. mensah said this at a press conference today in reaction to the speaker's statement that parliament was sovereign and a member's primary responsibility was to obey the chair.

mr j.h. mensah said members of parliament have a right to use their own conscience and no authority can compel them to do otherwise.

"if an mp finds something unlawful he has the duty to resist and not do otherwise, parliament itself must comply with the law wholeheartedly and not to circumvent it," he said.

he said the issue over the courts ruling on the ministerial appointment was a political one.

the minority will therefore use all the resources at their disposal as members of parliament to resolve it internally.

"however, if the majority are obstinate, i can assure you that there will be plenty of trouble," he added.

mr j.h. mensah said there are many options open to solve the problem on the status of retained ministers and the minority will cooperate with any proposal by the speaker to solve it.

papa owusu-ankomah minority spokesman on information, said the minority are not interested in creating a crises situation.

"we will do everything to ensure that all organs of government discharge their duty in such a way as to promote public confidence in the democratic system".

he added that the best option will be for the executive to wholeheartedly comply with procedures adopted by the house, which says that all ministers have to be approved by parliament.