According to Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the NDC General Secretary, the country stands at a critical crossroads as the very pillars of Ghana’s democracy are under siege by an administration that has shown a blatant disregard for the rule of law and the sanctity of our independent institutions.
He noted that it is the moral duty of Ghanaians to defend the country’s democracy, indicating that citizens must unite under a common cause to fight to preserve the integrity of Ghana’s judiciary and the very soul of the country’s democracy.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, it will shock you to know that President Akufo-Addo, who has already packed the Supreme Court with an unprecedented 15 appointments, is now conspiring with Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaba Torkonoo to add five more judges to our highest court. This isn’t just a political maneuver of an already existing failed President; it’s an assault on our democracy, a betrayal of public trust, and a direct threat to the integrity of our judicial system”.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey
The NDC stalwart warned that there are dire consequences of this reckless action, indicating that the country’s democracy is at stake.
Fifi Kwetey stated that the ruling NPP government stops at nothing and is determined to create a judiciary that is no longer a check on executive power, but a mere extension of it.
“This is not the Ghana our forefathers fought for; this is not the democracy we pledged to uphold. Our nation deserves better, and it is our duty to stand up and protect the very foundations of our democratic society”.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey
Furthermore, Fifi Kwetey accused Akufo-Addo and the Chief Justice of secretly plotting to appoint five more Supreme Court judges, despite the previous appointments of fifteen judges.
He noted that the NDC has sighted a deeply disturbing letter from Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo to President Akufo-Addo, requesting the appointment of five new judges to the Supreme Court of Ghana.
As such, Kwetey asserted that this request from the Chief Justice is not only a blatant violation of the Constitution but also a flagrant disregard for the established customs and traditions that guide the nomination of judges to Ghana’s highest court.
“The names of the five judges put forward by the Chief Justice in her unconstitutional, unsolicited, and self-serving request to the President include Her Ladyship Justice Angelina Mensah Homiah, His Lordship Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, His Lordship Justice Edward Amoako Asante, Her Ladyship Justice Cyra Pamela C. A Koranteng, and Her Ladyship Justice Afia Asare Botwe, the judge currently presiding over the persecution of Hon. Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson”.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey
He noted that the Chief Justice’s brazen and unsolicited requests were received promptly by the President, noting that the Attorney-General also wrote to show support for the Chief Justice’s request.
Fifi Kwetey alleged that the President, Chief Justice, and Attorney-General pushed to pack the Supreme Court with 5 new judges, but the Judicial Council unanimously rejected the plan, citing election timing and constitutional concerns.
“Members of the Judicial Council insisted that the next government be given the opportunity to consider the arguments for the expansion in the number of Supreme Court Justices, if at all necessary”.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey
GBA Rejects President’s Attempt To Pack Supreme Court
Furthermore, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey stated that the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) opposes the President’s secret attempt to appoint five more Supreme Court judges, increasing the bench to twenty, calling it a clandestine move to pack the court.
He noted that the Ghana Bar Association cited constitutional concerns for its rejection of the move and advocated for a review of the court’s size every ten years through broader consultations.
Kwetey further accused the Chief Justice of attempting to circumvent the constitutional process by secretly proposing judges for Supreme Court appointments, shocking and scandalizing observers.
He noted that the Chief Justice violates the Constitution by unilaterally recommending judges for Supreme Court appointments, bypassing the required consultative process, and threatening judicial independence.
“We wish to state without any equivocation that the Chief Justice’s letter is illegal and of no effect. Her actions have completely turned the due process on its head and compromised her independence as the head of the judiciary.”
“We are concerned about a worrying pattern which irresistibly suggests that the President is appointing only loyalists of his party to these courts to have control of the judiciary and escape post-regime accountability”.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey
The NDC patriot accused the President of packing the Supreme Court with NPP sympathetic judges ahead of elections, threatening judicial independence and democracy, and sparking national concern for Ghana’s political stability.
He called for an immediate halt to further appointments ahead of elections, citing potential credibility issues, and argued that there are enough judges on the bench at this particular point in time to deal with judicial issues.
“The President must be reminded that such lopsided appointments, particularly to the judiciary, is a big factor in the widely held perception of a politically biased and hostile judiciary in the administration of justice at the apex court, especially in matters involving the NDC”.
“President Akufo-Addo must therefore take a cue and desist from any further appointments to the Supreme Court at this time to help de-escalate the perception of bias on the part of the judiciary”.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey
As such, the NDC condemned the action as bias, imbalance, and threat to judicial independence, and warned against attempts to shield government officials from accountability.
Moreover, the NDC criticized judicial appointments and promotions, citing favoritism and political interference, and warned against executive influence over the judiciary, threatening democratic governance and the rule of law.
Fifi Kwetey condemned Chief the lack of judicial independence in the Akufo-Addo administration, and warned against executive overreach, referencing Kenya’s experience as a reminder of the dangers of unchecked presidential power.
The NDC demands eight measures to protect judicial independence and democracy, including halting further Supreme Court appointments, adhering to constitutional processes, and ensuring transparency, accountability, and merit-based selections, free from executive pressure and political influence.
“Imagine a Ghana where the judiciary, becomes a mere extension of a failed executive—a tool for political retribution rather than justice. This is not the Ghana we pledged to uphold; this is not the Ghana we want to pass down to our children”.
“We cannot, and we must not, remain silent. Our silence will only embolden those who seek to undermine our democratic institutions. We must rise with one voice, loud and clear, to defend our judiciary, to protect our democracy, and to preserve the integrity of our nation”.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey
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