Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah, a former Senior Governance Adviser to the United Nations, has expressed little surprise at President John Mahama’s decision to remove Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo from office.
According to Prof. Agyeman-Duah, the move was anticipated, as President Mahama and other prominent members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had openly declared their intention to take such action prior to assuming office in 2025.
“Certainly for me, I wasn’t surprised because they stated it clearly before the election that they will do that and they have done it,” he remarked during an interview on JoyNews’ AM Show on Wednesday, September 3.
President Mahama officially dismissed Chief Justice Torkornoo on Monday, September 1, citing “stated misbehaviour” as the basis for her removal. The decision was made following recommendations from a constitutional committee established under Article 146 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
While acknowledging that the dismissal was foreseeable, Prof. Agyeman-Duah cautioned that the development could have significant implications for the separation of powers within Ghana’s democratic framework.
“But I am looking at the replications, how this really affects the balance of power amongst the three key institutions of governance and the independence that they are supposed to have to ensure effective checks and balances,” he explained.
He further warned of the potential risks posed when one branch of government exerts undue influence over another:
“If the Executive decided to attack one then there is a danger there,” he added.
The removal of the Chief Justice has sparked widespread debate, with observers weighing its constitutional legitimacy against its broader impact on judicial independence and democratic accountability.
Leave a Reply