De-Robe Joe Ghartey – Sam P. Yalley

Public interest lawyer Sam P. Yalley is calling for the immediate de-robing of NPP member of parliament for Esikado-Ketan, Joe Ghartey, as the second deputy speaker of parliament.

His call comes in the wake of the minority’s dramatic boycott of parliament shortly before the president gave his State of the Nation address on Thursday.

Speaking on Accra-based Montie fm’s Adekyie Mu Nsem show on Friday, lawyer Sam P. Yalley wondered why Joe Ghartey, who occupies a sensitive position in parliament, together with his minority colleagues would boycott a constitutional requirement.

"Joe Ghartey has ceased to be an ordinary member of parliament, he is now the second deputy speaker of parliament, and he has joined your colleagues to boycott parliament," he said.

"I am using your medium to call on the leadership of parliament to de-robe Joe Ghartey as the second deputy speaker of parliament because as a lawyer you have no right to take any action that could prejudice the decision of the court when you have already petitioned the High Court and waiting for the outcome of the petition."

He described the boycott of the president’s State of the Nation address by the minority as contemptuous.

Lawyer Yalley pointed out that though he is outraged by the decision of the NPP minority in parliament, their numerous boycotts cannot stop the government from working to achieve a better Ghana for all.

He accused the Minority of “doing selective and convenient application” of Article 64 of the 1992 Constitution.

According to him, the NPP is relying on Article 64 [1] to challenge the election of the President while ignoring Article 64 [2], which states that, “a declaration by the Supreme Court that the election of the President is not valid shall be without prejudice to anything done by the President.”

He asked if the NPP members of parliament will take their salaries after staging numerous boycotts in parliament.

"The NPP parliamentarians are misconducting themselves and abusing the electorate," he said.