James Gyakye Quayson
Hon. James Gyakye Quayson | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the Ghana Parliament for Assin North | |
| Assumed office 7 January 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Abena Durowaa Mensah |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 October 1952 |
| Political party | National Democratic Congress |
| Alma mater | Mfantsipim School, York University |
| Occupation | Social Worker, Parliamentarian |
| Committees | House Local Government and Rural Development |
James Gyakye Quayson (born 9 October 1952) is a Ghanaian politician who was elected to serve as the Member of Parliament for the Assin North constituency in the 2020 General Elections until his eligibility was challenged in a High Court. Controversy: in violation of Article 92, Clause 2a of Ghana's constitution, "a person shall not be qualified to be a member of parliament if he owes allegiance to a country other than Ghana". In a ruling on Wednesday, 28 July 2021, a Cape Coast High Court presided over by Justice Kwasi Boakye declared the 2020 parliamentary election held in the Assin North constituency, null and void. He was re-elected after a by-election held on Tuesday, June 27, 2023 and sworn in on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
Early life and education
Quayson hails from Assin Bereku in the Central Region of Ghana. He had his secondary education at the prestigious Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast, completing in 1969. He holds a bachelor's degree in Social Sciences (1996) and a master's degree in Urban Planning and Community Development (2015) from York University in Toronto, Canada. He also holds BA General Arts with Majors in Political Science and Sociology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Career
Prior to being in parliament, he worked as a District Manager for the City of Toronto Employment and Social services from 2020.
He is also a Social Services and Community Development Administrator and manager, as well as a framer.
Politics
Gyakye Quayson is a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and was the member of parliament for Assin North Constituency in the Central Region of Ghana.
Challenge to membership of parliament
In December 2020, a resident of Assin Bereku, Michael Ankomah-Nimfah filed a petition at the Cape Coast High Court questioning the eligibility of Quayson's MPship for Assin North due he holding dual citizen of Canada and Ghana at the time he filed his papers at the Electoral Commission of Ghana to stand in the 2020 Ghanaian general election when nominations were closed on 9 October 2020. According to the Ghanaian constitution, no person with dual nationality may hold office in government or parliament. The court upheld the petition and ordered a by-election for Assin North constituency. The by-election was held on 27 June 2023.
Court proceedings
A Cape Coast High Court presided over by Justice Kwasi Boakye ordered fresh parliamentary elections to be conducted in the Assin North constituency after declaring the election null and void, Mr. Quayson went on to challenge the decision of the High Court at the Appeals Court in which his application was dismissed.
Michael Ankomah-Nimfah, the plaintiff/applicant who filed an election petition against Mr. Quayson has initiated another action at The Supreme Court of Ghana requesting that, the court allows the Cape Coast High Court judgement to take effect as well as prevent further breach of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana by restraining him as member of parliament (MP) since he continued to sit in parliament as MP and this was challenged within the house as well.
On 13 April 2022, The Supreme Court by a 5-2 majority decision ruled that he should stop holding himself as a member of parliament. He indicated his intention to contest the Supreme Court ruling by filing an application for The Supreme Court to review its own decision. The Supreme Court set 13 June 2022 for the trial against Mr. Quayson after postponing his application review for restraining him to hold himself as MP and preventing him to attend Parliament to conduct business on behalf of the people of Assin North constituency.
In a unanimous decision by The Supreme Court of Ghana consisting of Justices Jones Dotse, Nene Amegatcher, Mariama Owusu, Gertrude Torkonoo, Prof Henrietta Mensah Bonsu, Emmanuel Kulendi and Barbara Ackah Ayensu, presiding Judge Justice Jones Dotse on 17 May 2023 ruled that the Electoral Commission of Ghana acted unconstitutionally by accepting the nomination of Mr. Quayson without proof of citizenship renunciation before contesting the 2020 parliamentary elections. The Apex court outline four reasons for arriving at this decision in the case against Mr. James Gyakye Quayson which didn't sit well with the minority, National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the defendant, Mr. Quayson expressing his disappointment at the court's decision.
By-elections
In a letter to the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) on Monday, 29 May 2023, Parliament of Ghana declared the Assin North constituency seat vacant making way for a by-election. The EC announced 27 June 2023 as the date for the by-election in Assin North constituency in a press statement on Wednesday, 31 May 2023 and nominations will be received from 12 to 14 June 2023.
Mr. Quayson, in a statement on 1 June 2023, officially declared his intention to contest in the Assin North constituency by-election with support from his party, the National Democratic Congress. On 27 June 2023, Mr. Quayson won the Assin North constituency by-election with 17, 245 votes, constituting 57.56% of votes cast. This figure indicates a significant reduction of his votes obtained in the 2020 general election, which was 17,498 votes representing 55.21%.
James Gyakye Quayson, after emerging victorious in the by-election was sworn in for the second time as the Member of Parliament for Assin North on Tuesday, 27 June 2023.
Committees
Hon. Gyakye Quayson was a member of the House Committee and also a member of the Local Government and Rural Development Committee.
Personal life
James Gyakye Quayson is a Christian.