Minister-designate for Communications, Digitalization, and Innovation, Samuel Nartey George, has justified his criticism of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo regarding the delayed hearing of the anti-LGBTQ Bill case.
Appearing before the Appointments Committee on Thursday, the Ningo-Prampram MP maintained that his remarks were constructive and based on available information. He accused the Chief Justice of intentionally delaying the Supreme Court case, an assertion that sparked debate during the session.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin pressed Mr. George on whether he believed the Chief Justice was failing in her duties. In response, he stated that “she could have done better in the exercise of a public office,” emphasizing that his critique was meant to hold public officials accountable.
He further clarified that his concern was not about the process of empanelling judges, which follows procedural rules, but rather the prolonged delay in scheduling the hearing. He pointed out that when the Chief Justice set clear timelines, the case moved faster, proving that she had the authority to expedite proceedings.
However, Afenyo-Markin countered that Mr. George was neither a party to the case nor an interested litigant, questioning whether his public criticism was fair since the Chief Justice had no platform to respond.
In a related development, Mr. George reaffirmed his intention to reintroduce the bill to Parliament, despite President John Mahama’s position that such legislation should be state-sponsored.
SOURCE: http://dew360.net
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