The leading main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucus in Parliament has backtracked on their decision not to partake in the vetting of Chief Justice-nominee Anin Yeboah.
A disagree over date for the vetting of the top judge sparked bitter division between leadership of the House with the minority accusing the majority of rushing the vetting process.
The date of the vetting has however been shifted from 21st of December to 23rd, a date prefered by the Minority.
In a statement, Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu said ”Ghanaians can expect us to discharge our constitutional duty diligently and thoroughly especially considering our high regard for the eminent office the nominee will be occupying as head of the judicial arm of government if approved. As we have emphasized earlier, our position on this matter is borne our practice and processes without any prejudice whatsoever to the nominee in question.”
In an earlier statement clarifying their decision to boycott the process, the Minority said:” The refusal of the Minority in Parliament to participate in the scheduled vetting of the President’s nominee has nothing to do with the person of the nominee. The minority is refusing to depart from the usual practice of Parliament in giving the public a two weeks period to submit memoranda on nominees before they are vetted. Whilst discussions are ongoing on the issue of the abridgement of time, the Chairman of the Appointments Committee unilaterally caused public announcements of the proposed date of vetting without regard to the ongoing processes of dialogue on the abridgement.
“The Minority takes the view that the public parliamentary vetting of the nominee for the high office of Chief Justice of the Republic is such an important event in our national life and should not to be rushed through and done in a partisan and one-sided manner. The present politicization of the discussion of the scheduling and the impression created that the nominee lacks political support from one side of the house is most unfortunate and does great disservice to the nominee,” the Minority leader said.
Source: mybrytfmonline