Swearing in Oquaye as President needless – Professor Asare

There is no need to swear in a Speaker of Parliament before he can execute functions of the President, Kwaku Asare, a United States-based Ghanaian professor, has said.

“It is important, on days like this, to remind ourselves that nothing in the Constitution requires the Speaker to be sworn in to perform the functions of the President when the President and Vice President are outside the country performing their functions,” he noted on Sunday, January 21.

Parliament has been recalled to sit on Sunday to swear in the Speaker as acting President.

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is currently in the UK for medical attention.

President Nana Akufo-Addo is also expected to travel outside the country.

However, Prof Asare maintains the “only reason we do it is because the Supreme Court says we must ignore what the Constitution says and adopt a 'purposive interpretation' to allow the practice”.

In a post on his Facebook wall, he explained that a trip by the President outside the country does not mean he is unable to perform his functions and the Speaker can act until the President returns without another swearing-in session.