Akufo-Addo dropped Gloria Akuffo over her opinion on the controversial Agyapa deal – Dr Zubeiru

A Member of the Elections Committee of the opposition NDC party, Dr. Ibrahim Zubeiru, has said President Akufo-Addo did not reappoint immediate-past Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo over her legal opinion on the controversial ‘Egyapa’ deal.

President Akufo-Addo in his latest appointment of Ministerial nominees to form his next government has dropped Gloria Akuffo and instead elevated his immediate-past deputy, Godfred Dame as the substantive Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

Commenting on the President’s nomination on Ghana Kasa show hosted by Bonohene Baffuor Awuah on Agoo TV/Kasapa 102.5 FM, Dr. Ibrahim Zubeiru stated that Gloria Akuffo’s at all times did not tow party lines but gave legal advice there were in the best interest of Ghana on controversial issues that were being pushed by the government.

He added that she was not reappointed because the Akufo-Addo government was not happy with her position which caused it lots of embarrassment.

“They didn’t take her advice on the Agyapa Deal because they didn’t like her view on the controversial issue. If she’s advised you and you think that that will not help you and so you can’t work with her that’s unfortunate. They’ve rather elevated her deputy to become the substantive minister. Is it a case that she was undermined by her deputy? “

He, however, said he’s not surprised that Godfred Dame has been elevated because he did things that Gloria Akuffo will not do.

“Godfred Dame was instrumental in the challenge of NDC MPs elect in court. The issue with the Upper Denkyira West seat was led by him, he’s the same person behind the injuncting of our MP for Cape Coast North, again he was involved in the challenge of the Sene West seat,” Dr Zubeiru who’s also the Chairman of the Accra Technical University (ATU) chapter of the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) said.

Then Attorney-General Gloria Akuffo described the inability of the state to review or evaluate the effectiveness of the controversial Agyapa Royalties deal in future as “unconscionable”.

In an opinion on the deal to the Finance Minister, also stated that the manner of the deal agreed “freezes anything legal including judicial orders and decisions. In effect no court can pronounce on any part of the agreement as being illegal, unconscionable, null and void or on any matter before the court which may or is likely to affect any part of the agreement.”

“This will amount to executive interference of the powers of the judiciary, which is a violation of the concept of separation of powers as provided under the Constitution of Ghana. Therefore, the executive arm of government cannot enter into an agreement that curtails the independence of both the Legislature and the Judiciary.”

---kasapafm