Parliament has approved Special Prosecutor Nominee, Martin Alamisi Burns Kaiser Amidu, as Ghana’s first ever special prosecutor.
Members from both sides on the committee voted for his approval even though the Committee report had earlier indicated that MP for Tamale North, Suhuyini Alhassan Sayibu who is a member of the Appointment Committee voted against the nominee’s approval.
That aspect of the report was, however, later amended by the Committee’s chairman on the floor of the house to read that the nominee was approved by consensus.
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The Committee’s report recommended among other things that “given Mr. Martin Alamisi Burns Kaiser’s high standard of competence, forthrightness in answering questions, independent mindedness, selflessness, solid principles and an in-depth appreciation of the task ahead backed by his onerous experience, knowledge of the law and his promise to be above political colourisation, the Nominee qualifies to serve as the Special Prosecutor”.
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There was however a preliminary point of Order to be sorted before his approval as Bolgatanga East MP, Dominic Ayine drew the Speaker’s attention to a suit challenging the eligibility of Mr. Amidu for the post.
The deputy ranking member on parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Affairs committee, who filed the suit last week says the 66-year old nominee is unqualified for the post.
This is because he is past the statutory age limit for public service – 66 years.
Quoting Standing Orders of parliament, he requested that the speaker rules on whether the house can debate an issue which is being heard by the courts.
But Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, rebutted explaining that the NDC MP’s intervention was premature.
This is because, by Standing Orders 81, the motion has to be moved and seconded before any discussion including Ayine’s intervention can be entertained.
But rising to Ayine’s defence, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, rejected the Majority Leader’s intervention.
He said during the debate on the reduction of the Special Petroleum Tax he was told his intervention was belated.
The same Majority Leader told him, he should have spoken earlier before the motion was moved and seconded.
Haruna Iddrisu wanted the Majority Leader to allow the Speaker to rule on Dominic Ayine’s Point of Order.
The Speaker, ruling on the matter said: “If a mere filing of a writ in any court should stop parliament from doing its work then, of course, Parliament is subjugated automatically to the court.”
“There must be mutual respect between all arms of government…
“There is nothing before me to persuade me that the matter allegedly before the court….is such that Parliament cannot do its work,” Prof. Oquaye ruled.
Backing the Majority Leader’s explanation of the proper procedure, the Speaker reiterated that a motion must be moved and seconded before an MP can raise an objection or refer to it.
“We must learn to learn,” he said and dismissed Ayine’s Point of Order.
Amidu approved by parliament as Special Prosecutor
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