Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has described the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo as “a victory for the rule of law.”
Her removal by the President followed recommendations from a constitutional committee set up under Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution on grounds of stated misbehaviour.
The decision came hours after the President received the report of a committee constituted under Article 146(6) to investigate a petition filed by Ghanaian citizen Daniel Ofori, which was one of three petitions considered.
Kwakye Ofosu firmly rejected claims that the move was politically motivated or intended to interfere with judicial independence. Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Monday, September 1, he sought to clarify the government’s position amid criticism from opposition figures and sections of civil society.
At the centre of the controversy is the term “resetting the judiciary,” which Kwakye Ofosu said had been wilfully misinterpreted. “It has nothing to do with resetting the judiciary,” he stated. “Resetting the judiciary simply means that we demand that fairness and balance prevail in the way the judiciary does its work. That’s all it is about.”
He stressed that President Mahama acted within his constitutional mandate and did not seek to influence judicial affairs through the Chief Justice’s removal. “The President cannot go and physically purport to be resetting the judiciary by removing the Chief Justice,” Kwakye Ofosu added. “This is a victory for the rule of law. The fundamental principle of the rule of law must be adhered to. All of us are equal before the rule of law.”
Source: Emmanuel Tetteh
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