The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye, Sunday, took the Oath of Allegiance and the Presidential Oath to temporarily assume the Highest Office of the land.
The follows the departure of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to the inaugural ceremony of the President-elect of Liberia, Senator George Oppong-Weah on Monday, January 22, 2018.
President Akufo-Addo left the shores of Ghana on Sunday, January 21, 2018, and is expected to return home on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.
The Vice-President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is currently receiving medical treatment in the United Kingdom.
Rt. Hon. Prof. Oquaye’s assumption into the Highest Office of the land is in consonance with Article 60(11) which provides that “Where the President and Vice-President are both unable to perform the functions of the President, the Speaker of Parliament shall perform those functions until the President or the Vice-President is able to perform those functions or a new President assumes office, as the case may be”.
Article 60 (12) also provides that ” The Speaker shall, before commencing to perform the functions of the President under clause (11) of this article, take and subscribe the oath set out in relation to the office of President”.