The Coalition for Public Health and Justice has sued the government over the mandatory Covid-19 vaccination and restrictions on movement in the country.
The Coalition in its suit argued that the restriction of movements for unvaccinated persons without the issuance of an Executive Instrument by the President is unlawful.
“Per Article 21 (4) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 2(1) of the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012), it is only the President of the Republic of Ghana who has the power to impose restriction on the right to freedom of movement by issuing an Executive Instrument on the advice of a relevant body or person.”
“Checks at the Assembly Press as at the time of this suit showed that, the President of the Republic of Ghana has not issued any Executive Instrument imposing Covid-19 vaccination restrictions on the right to freedom of movement. Neither did the impugned directives of the respondents make any reference whatsoever to any such Executive Instrument,” portions of the suit said.
The group in its writ said the mandatory vaccination rollout is also unreasonable and breaches the Public Health Act.
“The impugned directives of the respondents which mandate the said COVID-19 vaccines for all persons including the those who have fully recovered from Covid-19 infections and have developed natural immunity to the disease, contravene Section 21(2) and 25 (1) (b) of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) and is unreasonable.”
The Coalition had earlier called for a halt to the vaccine mandate across public and private institutions in the country.
It wrote to the President calling for a halt to the vaccine mandate across public and private institutions.
But a letter from the Presidency subsequently stated that there is no official vaccine mandate.
The Coalition in its writ, however, insisted that the Jubilee House and other public institutions and agencies have denied unvaccinated persons access to their premises and facilities.
It is therefore seeking a declaration that the impugned directives breach provisions of Article 21 (1) (g) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
Joined in the suit as respondents are the Attorney General, Ghana Health Service, the Speaker of Parliament, Electricity Company of Ghana, Passport Office, Ghana Immigration Service.
The rest are Takoradi Technical University, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ministry of Health, Accra Metropolitan Assembly, University of Cape Coast, National Sports Authority, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, University of Ghana Medical School and the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre.