“You can’t use Akufo-Addo as a yardstick for governance”

Private legal practitioner, Topra Abradu Nyansakuku, has voiced strong opposition to recent calls for the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, stressing that such actions are misguided and unconstitutional.

In an interview on ABC News GH, Nyansakuku criticized Global Info Analytics poll on calls for CJ’s removal, arguing that the respondents did not fully grasp the complexities of Ghana’s governance system.

“I disagree with the polls because the people they interviewed do not understand the governance system. They should understand the system,” he said.

He went on to emphasize that the office of the Chief Justice Office is independent and cannot be subjected to political whims.

“The Chief Justice is an independent office,” Nyansakuku asserted, further rejecting comparisons with former President Akufo-Addo’s actions in similar circumstances.

“You don’t use Akufo-Addo as a yardstick for governance,” he added, referencing the former president’s decision to remove a sitting Chief Justice and appoint a successor.

Nyansakuku firmly pointed out that under the Constitution, judges are guaranteed security of tenure until the age of 65, meaning no one has the right to remove them before that time.

“The security of tenure of office, until you are age 65, nobody should be able to remove you,” he stated, urging that due constitutional process must be followed in all matters relating to judicial appointments and removals.

This comes amid growing tensions in the political landscape, with Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin recently accusing the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of politicizing the judiciary. At a press briefing following a meeting of the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) National Executive Committee (NEC) on April 16, Afenyo-Markin warned that recent efforts to target Chief Justice Torkornoo were politically motivated.

The case regarding the removal of the Chief Justice has now been adjourned to May 6, 2025, with significant public interest surrounding the ongoing legal and political developments.

Nyansakuku’s comments add to the growing debate on the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law, which remains a crucial pillar of Ghana’s democracy.