The Minority Caucus in Parliament has called for the immediate resignation or dismissal of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, accusing him of incompetence over the release of GH¢350 million from the government’s Contingency Fund for flood relief efforts.
Addressing a press conference in Parliament, the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, alleged that the release of the funds was carried out in breach of established legal procedures because the Contingency Fund was at the time subject to ongoing garnishee proceedings before the courts.
According to her, the Attorney General’s own correspondence to the Governor of the Bank of Ghana instructed that the funds be released despite the pending court process, a move she described as legally flawed.
“The Attorney General’s letter speaks for itself. It directed the Governor of the Bank of Ghana to give effect to the release of funds from the Contingency Fund notwithstanding the pending garnishee proceedings,” she stated.
She further noted that although the Ministry of Finance later announced that the GH¢350 million had been released for emergency flood relief, the legal process surrounding the garnishee proceedings had not been concluded.
“The unavoidable question, therefore, is: how did the money move?” she asked, insisting that the circumstances surrounding the disbursement require clear explanations.
The Deputy Minority Leader argued that a competent Attorney General could have lawfully secured access to the funds by seeking an expedited hearing before the courts.
“Any competent Attorney General could have secured the lawful release of these funds within 24 hours by moving the courts, disclosing the urgency, and allowing the judicial process to work as it was designed to,” she said.
She stressed that while the Minority fully appreciates the urgency of providing relief to flood victims, adherence to the rule of law should not be compromised.
According to Patricia Appiagyei, the government’s handling of the matter reflects poorly on the Attorney General’s office and raises concerns about respect for constitutional and legal processes.
“The flood victims of this country deserved an Attorney General who would act competently and lawfully. They did not get him,” she declared.
The Minority Caucus has therefore called on the Attorney General and Minister for Justice to resign immediately, maintaining that he has failed in his constitutional responsibilities.
She added that should the Attorney General refuse to step down voluntarily, President John Dramani Mahama should intervene by removing him from office.
“Should he fail to do the honourable thing, we call on the President, who swore an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution, to relieve him of office without delay,” she stated.
The Minority maintains that the controversy surrounding the release of the GH¢350 million underscores the need for strict adherence to legal procedures, even during emergency situations, to safeguard public confidence in the country’s constitutional governance.
By 1960news.com
