The Minority Leadership in Parliament has accused the Presidency of undermining judicial independence in Ghana.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, Minority Chief Whip Patricia Appiagyei asserted that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is operating on autopilot, showing little willingness to address the concerns of Ghanaians.
She warned that attempts by the Presidency to erode judicial independence have reached alarming levels, requiring urgent attention.
Appiagyei further described the President’s effort to remove the Chief Justice as despicable, arguing that the justification for such a move remains unclear and appears to be an outright attack on the judiciary.
“We gather here today not only to reconvene a legislative session but to recommit to the solemn duty imposed upon us by the Constitution, to serve the people of Ghana with honour, vigilance, and integrity. Yet, I must confess, this Parliament resumes amidst grave constitutional anxiety, rising public distress, and a government that seems to be on autopilot, either asleep at the wheel or entirely indifferent to the suffering, insecurity, and institutional corrosion engulfing our republic.
“Let us begin with a matter that strikes at the very soul of our democratic architecture, the independence of the judiciary. Mr Speaker, the audacious attempts by the presidency to undermine judicial independence have reached dangerous proportions,” she said.
She added that “The nation watched in disbelief as the executive launched brazen efforts to remove the Chief Justice of the Republic, an assault not merely on one officeholder but on the very sanctity of the judicial branch.”
Expanding on her concerns regarding judicial appointments, Patricia Appiagyei accused President John Dramani Mahama of stacking the Supreme Court with party loyalists, asserting that the move is intended to limit the independence of the Judicial Council.
She also criticised the selection of judges assigned to oversee the case concerning the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, questioning their ties to the government.
“At the same time, the president is seeking to pack the Supreme Court with loyalists, seven nominations in one swoop, clearly designed to bind the hands of the Judicial Council and tilt the highest court in the land towards executive interest.”
According to Appiagyei, many of the appointed justices have affiliations as lawyers or judges closely connected to the administration, with some linked to the President and others associated with the Speaker of Parliament.
She further argued that such appointments would undermine public confidence in the judiciary, making it difficult for Ghanaians to trust the court’s impartiality, particularly those chosen to represent the government during the proceedings.
“Equally troubling is the identity of the legal practitioners leading this crusade. While the right to counsel is sacrosanct, and every citizen is entitled to legal representation of their choosing, it is profoundly disquieting that the lawyers spearheading the campaign against the Chief Justice are individuals publicly known to have represented, or are still representing, both the President and the Speaker of Parliament in active legal matters. These lawyers do not act independently of their clients.
“And when such lawyers become the face and voice of the petition to remove the Chief Justice, it becomes exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, for the public to disassociate the petition from the political authorities they serve. Mr. Speaker, this is not about professional competence but it is about democratic perception,” she concluded.
Watch her comments on GhanaWeb TV below:
VKB/MA
Meanwhile, here is why Chairman Wontumi has been served with Exim Bank suit
