News:
April 16, 2025
The Minority in Ghana’s Parliament has said the deliberate plans to remove the current Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, Getrude Torkornoo would be a setback to Ghana’s democratic journey as the purpose of the petition is to malign the head of the Judiciary.
And further to silence the judiciary and finally exert control of the Judiciary more especially as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is an offshoot of the PNDC.
Addressing the press on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in Parliament, the legal Counsel of the Minority Caucus noted that the framers of Ghana’s constitution made each arm of government a separate arm and made provisions for check and balances therefore to ensure that there is respect for each branch of arm of government, the framers did not provide for an Executive overreach.
John Darko again noted that the Minority is watching with concern attempts made to remove the Chief Justice (CJ) stating that they are worried as the Judiciary has stood the test of time since Ghana’s independence, especially the period of military take overs and constitutional rule.
The judiciary has been nonpartisan despite the days of Ghana’s first president Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s attempts made on the judiciary, same with the military era of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC).
And some of the allegations made against the current CJ are that she advised then President Nana Akufo-Addo to promote several judges to the Supreme Court and being the one presiding over a matter that involves the Speaker of Parliament in an ex-party motion.
Again, a gentleman who committed contempt and was punished by the court want the CJ removed because he has been punished by the court not the CJ; and one of the ridiculous things is that the CJ has misappropriated seventy-five thousand Ghana cedis which according to the Judicial Service has been deleted by the Auditor General.
Quoting the ground for the removal of the CJ as stated in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana; “A justice of the superior court shall not be removed from office except for stated misbehavior or incompetent or on grounds of her inability to perform her function of the office arising from infirmity of the body or mind” they contend that the basis for the petitions do not warrant the removal of the Chief Justice.
“How can a serious country, mindful of this facts with its desire to improving its democratic credentials entertain such a lose petition to orchestrate this? We are aware of plans being put in place to invoke article 146 (10) (A) to suspend the CJ and appoint someone who is tilting towards the NDC government to Act as the CJ of the Republic”.
The Minority therefore urged civil society organisations and the traditional authorities as well as the diplomatic community not to entertain this as it will undermine the country’s democracy.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com