Ghana’s Constitution grants Supreme Court the authority to interpret the law – KT Hammond

In response to the recent stay of execution by the Supreme Court on Speaker Alban Bagbin’s ruling, KT Hammond, the Minister for Trade and Industry, has reiterated the importance of the separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution.

Speaking on the matter, Hammond pointed out that the Constitution grants the judiciary, specifically the Supreme Court, the ultimate authority to interpret the law and resolve disputes between different arms of government.

“This is separation of powers,” Hammond emphasized, stating that the Constitution clearly delineates the roles of the executive, legislature, and judiciary. “When it comes to interpretation, it is this house [the judiciary]. When there is an issue with the executive, it ends up here. When there is an issue with the legislature, it ends up here,” he said, highlighting that no branch of government is superior when it comes to legal interpretation.

The Supreme Court’s stay of execution was issued to suspend Speaker Bagbin’s decision regarding a parliamentary matter, pending further legal proceedings. While Hammond acknowledged that the substantive matter is still unresolved, he stressed that the ruling has effectively reaffirmed the Supreme Court’s authority to intervene when necessary.

Hammond called for continued respect for the judiciary’s decisions and urged that peace and cooperation among the branches of government prevail, noting, “We are going back to Parliament on Tuesday. The matter is resolved today, and we will work together to see it through.”