President Michael Ocquaye sworn in as Acting President

The Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye, has been sworn in as Acting President of the Republic of Ghana.

This follows the absence of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia from the jurisdiction.

The swearing-in, which took place in Parliament on Tuesday night, is provided for in section 60 (11), (12) of the 1992 Constitution.

Article 60, paragraph 11 provides: "In the event of the President and the Vice-President being unable to act, the President of Parliament shall exercise these functions until the President or Vice-President is able to perform these duties or a new president takes office, as the case may be.

While 60 (12) provides; "Before taking up the office of President under paragraph (11) of this Article, the President shall take an oath and take the oath of office as to the office of President."

President Nana Addo left Ghana Saturday 6^th July at the head of a Ghanaian delegation to the 12th extraordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union in Niamey, Niger.

President Akufo-Addo, after the summit held in Niger on Monday, July 8, 2018, began a three-day official visit to France at the invitation of French leader Emmanuel Macron.

He left France on Thursday 11 July and took a week's leave as part of his annual leave.

Vice President Dr. Bawumia, who badumed the role of Interim President, also left Ghana on Tuesday.^th July, prompting the country's third man to take the oath as acting president.

Parliament was informed of the departure of Vice President Bawumia on Tuesday morning, but the swearing exercise was postponed to the evening to coincide with the Vice President's exact departure around 7 pm.

The Parliament suspended its work and resumed in the evening with the Chief Justice, Judge Sophia Akuffo, responsible for swearing the oath of the President of the House.