Asenso-Boakye Slams Mahama Over Removal of Chief Justice Torkornoo

Bantama Member of Parliament (MP), Francis Asenso-Boakye, has strongly criticized President John Dramani Mahama over the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, describing it as a calculated plan rather than a mere coincidence.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, September 2, the former Roads and Highways Minister argued that the President’s action poses a serious threat to Ghana’s democracy and judicial independence.

“President Mahama’s sacking of the Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo is no accident; it was a long-planned scheme, executed with precision. This reckless move shatters judicial independence and strikes at the heart of our democracy,” Asenso-Boakye stated.

He further cautioned that such actions create a dangerous precedent, warning that if a Chief Justice could be dismissed on what he called “flimsy grounds, tomorrow no judge will feel safe to uphold the Constitution.”

The Bantama MP stressed that the dismissal is not just an attack on one individual but an assault on the very pillars of the Republic.

“This is not just an attack on one individual; it is an assault on the very foundation of our Republic. Ghana has come too far to let the Rule of Law be hijacked. We must resist every attempt to weaken our institutions. Ghana deserves better!” he emphasized.

President Mahama announced the removal of Justice Torkornoo on Monday, September 1, invoking Article 146(9) of the 1992 Constitution. The decision followed the recommendation of a committee established to investigate petitions of alleged misconduct and incompetence against her.

The development has sparked heated debate nationwide, with the Ghana Bar Association, civil society groups, and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) all condemning the move as unconstitutional and a threat to judicial independence.