Speaker repeating Oath of Allegiance unnecessary – Minority Leader

The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has made fresh calls for an amendment to the schedule of oaths for an acting President.

Mr. Iddrisu stressed the point after the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye took the oath of office today to act as President for the second time barely a week.

But speaking on the floor of Parliament today [Saturday], Mr. Iddrisu called for Oath of Allegiance to be expunged from the Schedule, while he made reference to Section 3 of the Oaths Act which is against the repetition of Oaths.

“Must the Speaker of Parliament repeat the Oath of Allegiance? My position is, Section 3 of the Oaths Act of 1972 is against the repetition of oaths. Just within the span of less than 10 days, the same Speaker of Parliament who swore an earlier Oath of Allegiance and swore one just a few days ago is being made to swear another oath of allegiance. In my view, that is legally needless and at best, unnecessary. Mr. Speaker, this Parliament must rise to the calling that under article 93 of the constitution, the power to legislate and make laws is ours and we must jealously protect and safeguard it,” the Minority Leader stated on the floor of Parliament.

The Vice-President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is supposed to have assumed the responsibilities of President Akufo-Addo, is currently receiving medical treatment in the United Kingdom

The President left the shores of the country Saturday morning following which Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye was sworn-in as Acting President of the land.

Rt. Hon. Prof. Oquaye’s assumption into the Highest Office of the land is in consonance with Article 60(11) which provides that “Where the President and Vice-President are both unable to perform the functions of the President, the Speaker of Parliament shall perform those functions until the President or the Vice-President is able to perform those functions or a new President assumes office, as the case may be”.

Article 60 (12) also provides that ” The Speaker shall, before commencing to perform the functions of the President under clause (11) of this article, take and subscribe the oath set out in relation to the office of President”.