Supreme Court clears 'public servants' to contest political positions

The Supreme Court has ruled that public servants at the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana Highway Authority can run for any political office.

The seven-member panel said staff of these institutions and others who are not civil servants, are not barred from holding political positions.

The two main defendants, NDC Chairman for Efutu in the Central Region , Lawrence Lamptey and Chief technical officer at the Ghana Highways Authority, Ernestina Yawson were dragged to court in a writ filed by a citizen, Kwadjoga Adra.

The plaintiff, backed by his lawyer, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, NPP MP for Effutu, filed the motion at the Supreme Court to stop the two staff from holding positions in the National Democratic Congress in the Effutu Constituency, whiles serving in their respective public offices.

The plaintiff said this constituted a violation of the Civil Service Act, which forbids civil servants from holding political office.

But the highest court of the land on Wednesday July 15, ruled against it saying the two defendants were not civil servants and could go ahead to contest for any position in any political party in the country.

Celebrating the court’s verdict as a victory for rule of law, the Efutu NDC Chairman said the plaintiff had “wasted” everybody’s time on what he believes was a non-issue.

“We should have even fined him for wasting our time,” he said.