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General News of Wednesday, 23 January 2013

Source: CitiFM

We disagree with NPP’s boycott –AFAG

The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) has said it disagrees with the decision of the Minority members of Parliament to boycott the upcoming vetting of President John Mahama’s ministerial nominees.

The Minority yesterday announced that it would boycott the vetting scheduled for Thursday because of the NPP’s petition at the Supreme Court.

According to the party it would not participate in any activity which would be annulled when the ruling of the Supreme Court.

The NPP is challenging the results of the 2012 presidential elections at the Supreme Court.

In a statement released the group said “we find the position of the NPP to boycott the parliamentary vetting committee as very parochial, unfortunate, extremely partisan and without due consideration to public interest.’’

“AFAG has a firm belief in the courts and urges the NPP and the NDC to hold same the belief that, at all instances, the verdict of the court is the reflection of the sovereign will of the people.”

Below is the full statement from AFAG The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) is shocked at, and strongly opposed to the decision by the New Patriotic Party to boycott proceedings at the parliamentary vetting of ministerial nominees appointed by the President.

Inasmuch as AFAG supports strongly, the decision of the NPP to contest the results of the 2012 elections in court, we find the position of the NPP to boycott the parliamentary vetting committee as very parochial, unfortunate, extremely partisan and without due consideration to public interest.

By extension, this decision is not complete, unless; there is a total boycott of parliament by the NPP until such a time that the case has been determined by the Supreme Court. However, the chief justice in whose court the case is being heard, for now, has sworn in the president, and her lordship’s legitimate obligation has not been contested by the NPP. Taking note also that, power abhors vacuum, it is only right for there to be a President; interim or otherwise.

AFAG has a firm belief in the courts and urges the NPP and the NDC to hold same the belief that, at all instances, the verdict of the court is the reflection of the sovereign will of the people. In this regard, if an arm of government (the judiciary) is determining the legitimacy of another arm of government (the executive) in a matter that the legislature (another arm of government) has no locus, then AFAG on this platform will like to remind the legislature of their sovereign role to represent the good people of their constituencies and not a party, though, they are there on a party’s ticket.

AFAG therefore urges the NPP to quickly rescind its decision to boycott the ministerial vetting committee for the sake of public interest. God bless us all.