Former United Nations Senior Governance Adviser, Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah, has urged the Constitutional Review Committee to revise Ghana’s procedure for removing a Chief Justice, warning that the current system leaves the judiciary vulnerable to partisan political influence.
Speaking on JoyNews AM on Wednesday, Prof. Agyeman-Duah expressed concern over recent statements by political figures regarding the dismissal of the Chief Justice.
“Yesterday, I also heard some NPP stalwart saying when we come to power, the Chief Justice will be sacked. We have to be serious about ourselves. I am concerned about this. Especially since we have an ongoing process to review the constitution, we must be serious about taking steps to remove the Executive from appointing Chief Justices,” he said.
He emphasized that the Chief Justice, as one of the three heads of government, should not be subjected to political manoeuvring that undermines constitutional balance.
Prof. Agyeman-Duah stressed that the review committee should ensure only petitions with broad legitimacy can trigger removal proceedings.
He cited Kenya as a model for insulating the judiciary from political interference. “If you want a good example, go to Kenya, not America or Europe. Go to Kenya and see how they elect or select their Chief Justices; they have taken it away from the Executive,” he noted.
His remarks follow the recent removal of the Chief Justice by President John Mahama.
Source: Albert Kuzor
