Former President John Dramani Mahama wants the country’s Chief Justice to lead reforms in the Judiciary. Mr Mahama says some judgments by the Judiciary leave much to be desired.
Speaking at a meeting with National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters in the US, the former President of the NDC as a political party has issues with the judiciary. “We do have problems with the judiciary and I think that it is necessary for some reforms to take place there. It is necessary for the Chief Justice or whoever is in charge to make some reforms,” Mr Mahama said.
Mr Mahama’s NDC has been critical of the Supreme Court’s judgment affirming that a Deputy Speaker, who is also an MP, can vote when he is presiding as Speaker of Parliament. The Minority in Parliament felt it was an indication that the judiciary has failed the country’s parliamentary democracy.
Speaking in Parliament, the Minority Leader said, the decision signified judicial support to the government to pass the e-levy, which the NDC, like many Ghanaians, has been opposed to.
“The judiciary of Ghana is failing parliamentary democracy in their inability to appreciate the true meaning of Article 110 of the Constitution. That Parliament shall by its standing orders regulate its own procedures. When we regulate our own proceedings and reference is made to the 1992 Constitution and not standing orders of Parliament, especially standing order 13… this is judicial support for Nana Addo’s e-levy,” the Minority Leader said.
Mr Mahama challenged the results of the 2020 polls, insisting that none of the nine presidential candidates obtained the mandatory 50%+1 vote constitutional threshold to be declared the winner of the polls.
In his petition, he, among other things, asked the Supreme Court to declare the EC’s declaration of President Nana Akufo-Addo as the winner of the polls as unconstitutional, null, and void.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court, however, said Mr Mahama failed to prove his case via his petition or through his witnesses.
Among other things, he expressed regret that the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, did not testify in court despite his applications for such to happen.
