Supreme court fixes May 14 to give judgement in PPP case

The Supreme Court has set Thursday, May 14 2015 as the new date to give its judgement on the case in which the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has filed a writ against the Attorney General praying the court to compel the government to enforce the free aspect of the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) policy.

The court had originally set yesterday, March 26, 2015, to deliver its judgement but had to give the new date citing a bereavement on the part of one of the justices on the seven-member panel that sat on the case.

The Founder and Leader of the PPP, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, in the company of his lawyer and other party functionaries, had come to court dressed in party colours to hear the outcome of the case but had to reschedule his programme following the development.

Counsel for the PPP, Mr Dennis Ofosu-Apea, told the Daily Graphic that he was  informed by the court clerks that  one of the justices on the case was bereaved and therefore his judgement was not ready, hence the adjournment.

He said the full complement of the seven-member panel ought to be put together in arriving at a decision of the court.

Background

The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) in March last year filed a writ against the Attorney General at the Supreme Court praying it to compel the government to enforce the free aspect of the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) policy.

According to the party, successive governments had  between January 1993 and January 2005 to complete the rollout of the FCUBE as stipulated by the 1992 Constitution but they defaulted.

It said governments had also failed to enforce the compulsory aspect of the FCUBE, resulting in children of school age loitering during school hours.

It,  therefore, prayed the court to direct the government to take steps to ensure that all children of school age were made to benefit from the FCUBE.

Writer’s email: victor.kwawukume@graphic.com.gh