Yirenkyi sworn – in as Chief Justice

Congress Journal

27th April, 2009 The official mouthpiece of Congress Volume 1 Issue 1

ANOTHER MILESTONE BY SRC
• Yirenkyi sworn – in as Chief Justice
Story: Fred Appiah Amankwah


Opare - Akuffo Yirenkyi was sworn – in last Friday April 24, 2009 as the first Chief Justice of the Students Representative Council of the African University College of Communications (A.U.C.C).
He took his oath of office before the 4th sitting of Congress. This was done in consonance and consolidation of the newly promulgated constitution of the SRC. In his capacity as Chief Justice, he leads the Judicial Council of the SRC which comprises of five other Justices. On the same occasion, Godfred Tetteh was also sworn – in as the Judicial Recorder.
The SRC President, Mr. Henry Marbell who administered the oath of office to them, congratulated them on their approval by Congress and charged them to be “fair, firm and objective in the performance of their functions.”
Rt. Hon. Joyce Tindana, Speaker of Congress commended the President for the timely appointments and for gracing the occasion. She was particularly elated that the Chief Justice had been appointed from Congress. She said, “it shows how diligent and capable members of the House are as well as their conduct within the student body at large”. “Opare has our full support and we wish him all the best in the discharge of his duties”, she added.
Opare - Akuffo yirenkyi who now bears the title of Chief Justice is a final year student of AUCC pursuing Communications Studies programme. He doubles as the President of the Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), a club on campus. Prior to the institution of Congress, of which is a member, he was a very instrumental member of the Constitutional Review Committee – Otoo Committee as it was popularly known. His Lordship, Opare - Akuffo is famous for his outspokenness and his association with the club called Kyekyeku.
Godfred Tetteh who is also in his final year is an adept poet and a member of the Face Aids AUCC, a club on campus.
According to Article six (6) of the SRC constitution: “The structure of Council in order of enormity shall be; Executive Council, Congress, The Judicial Council, The Permanent and Adhoc Committees”. Not long after the promulgation of the new constitution, the Executive Council instituted Congress and elections were held within the various classes for representatives. This process was largely
successful and presently Congress is functioning effectively within the tenets of the constitution.
In order to activate the principles of separation of powers, checks and balances as well as rule of law entrenched in the constitution. Article 9 subsection (c) i of the constitution demanded “ the Chief Justice who shall be appointed by the President subject to Congress approval, and subject to this constitution, be the head of the Judicial Council and shall be responsible for the administration and supervision of the Judicial Council”.
Amongst the many functions of the Judicial Council, Article 9 subsection (c)i states that it shall “have original jurisdiction on every matter relating to interpretation and enforcement of any provision in this constitution and in every matter where it is alleged that a body of persons have acted ultra vires to the powers conferred on them by the constitution”.
With the strict adherence to the constitution, it is expected that more appointments would be made subject to approval by Congress to man the various Permanent and Adhoc Committees.