The National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has demanded the resignation of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo over what he deems as self-serving interests in the selection of judges for the Supreme Court.
He stressed that her actions do not serve the best interests of the country.
“What she has done is entirely wrong, uncalled for, unconstitutional, and I believe she should acknowledge this and make amends. Beyond the procedural errors, what concerns me is the underlying agenda and intentions behind her actions,” myjoyonline.com quoted him as saying.
He criticized the Chief Justice for requesting the president to increase the number of justices to expedite the resolution of pending cases.
He accused her of recommending specific justices, showing a preference for certain individuals.
“For me, this raises questions about her motives and agenda. It suggests that this Chief Justice is not interested in having more justices on the Supreme Court, but rather has her own circle of friends, allies, or judiciary members she believes should be appointed. This is problematic as it raises concerns about conflicts of interest,” he added.
In a letter dated May 30, 2024, addressed to President Nana Akufo-Addo, Chief Justice Torkornoo suggested the appointment of five justices to the Supreme Court: Justice Angelina Mensah Homiah, Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, Justice Cyra Pamela C.A. Koranteng, and Justice Afia Asare Botwe.
On July 4, the NDC accused the President and the Chief Justice of collaborating to protect current government officials from future accountability. Fifi Kwetey, the NDC’s General Secretary, expressed concern over the nomination of the five new justices, labeling it as unjust and calling for the decision to be challenged.