Speaker of Parliament declines swearing-in as President of Ghana

• Posted on November 5, 2014November 5, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Speaker of Parliament Edward Doe Adjaho, who is acting as president in the absence of both the President and his Vice has declined to be sworn-in to act in that capacity.

Per the country’s constitution, the speaker is sworn into office to act as president any time the substantive president and his vice are out of the country.

President John Mahama is in Burkina Faso attempting to resolve the political crisis in the West African country.

His vice is also out of the jurisdiction making the Speaker the automatic choice as acting president.

Joy News’ Parliamentary correspondent Elton John Brobbey reported Wednesday that the Chief Justice Georgina Woode was on the floor of Parliament in an attempt to swear-in the Speaker but Edward Doe Adjaho reportedly declined to take the oath with the explanation that he had already taken it on September 19, 2013 when the president and his vice were out of the country.

He argued that he was only a ceremonial president for now and the oath he swore a year ago should still be in force.

His position was supported by members of the house including those on the minority side.

After a brief meeting between the leadership of the House and the Chief Justice, it was decided that the Speaker’s position would hold.

Georgina Woode therefore left the chamber without performing the duty for which she came.

Wednesday’s development raises further controversy on the need for the Speaker to be sworn into office when the president and his vice are out of jurisdiction.

Some critics claim even if the president is out of the country, he is still acting as president wherever he goes and to have a speaker sworn-in as president means there will be two presidents acting in that capacity.

Meanwhile, the Sports Minister, Mahama Ayariga has also refused to answer a question about how much government spent on the botched 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

He would rather the presidential Commission investigating activities at the world cup be allowed to complete its investigation and present a report.

By: Nathan Gadugah