The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has raised concerns over what it describes as palpable judicial bias in the scheduling of political cases in the Supreme Court of Ghana. In a press statement issued on Tuesday, 27th March, 2024, Mr. Fifii Fiave Kwetey, the General Secretary of the NDC, criticized the Chief Justice’s decision to list the case of Rockson-Nelson Etse K. Dafeamekpor v. the Speaker of Parliament and Attorney-General for hearing ahead of other cases.
Mr. Kwetey highlighted the case of Richard Dela Sky v. the Parliament of Ghana and the Attorney-General, which challenges the constitutionality of the contentious bill, Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024. Despite being filed almost two weeks before the Dafeamekpor case, the Sky case has not been listed for hearing.
“I am very astonished at the decision to prioritize the case of Rockson-Nelson Etse K. Dafeamekpor v. the Speaker of Parliament and Attorney-General over the case of Richard Dela Sky v. the Parliament of Ghana and the Attorney-General. Despite Sky filing his case challenging the constitutionality of the Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2024, two weeks prior to Dafeamekpor’s challenge of ministerial nominations by the President, the former’s case has not been scheduled for hearing”, he stressed.
The NDC scribe expressed concern that the scheduling of the Dafeamekpor case ahead of the Sky case could be a deliberate attempt by the Chief Justice to fast-track the determination of Dafeamekpor’s suit, while delaying the Sky case to allow the President to shelve the Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.
He also pointed out that a case filed as far back as 2022 by some NDC Members of Parliament challenging the constitutionality of the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy) Bill has not been listed for hearing.
The NDC amanuensis criticized the Chief Justice for what it called the arbitrary exercise of administrative discretion in the scheduling of cases, which he believes reinforces the perception of bias in the judiciary. The party’s general secretary emphasized that judicial independence should not be compromised and called for fairness and balance in the judiciary’s work.
The NDC, therefore, demanded an immediate rectification of the scheduling of the Dafeamekpor case and called on the Chief Justice to ensure that the judiciary serves the overall interest of the state and not the interest of any particular political party or government. The NDC warned that such actions undermine public confidence in the judiciary and make a mockery of the country’s democratic arrangements.
