The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has sharply criticized the Chief Justice’s recent authorization of vacation trial warrants, describing the move as “unconventional, legally unreasonable, and partisan.”
In a statement issued from its Accra‑North headquarters, the party expressed concern over the decision to empower two High Court judges to conduct full criminal trials during the judiciary’s annual vacation period. Traditionally, vacation courts are limited to handling motions and urgent interlocutory applications, not substantive criminal proceedings.
The NPP questioned why only two courts were singled out for these warrants when 29 vacation courts are already sitting across the country. The party argued that the deviation from established judicial practice undermines public confidence in the impartiality of the judiciary.
“The judiciary must remain above partisan considerations,” the statement read, warning that Ghana cannot afford a system where judicial decisions appear politically motivated.
The controversy has sparked debate within legal and political circles, with critics suggesting the move could set a precedent for eroding judicial independence. Supporters of the Chief Justice, however, maintain that the warrants are within his administrative discretion and aimed at expediting justice.
As the dispute intensifies, observers say the episode highlights broader tensions between Ghana’s political establishment and its judicial institutions — a dynamic that continues to shape the country’s governance landscape.
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