The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagba, has called on a future government to revisit what he described as the abuse of the rights of former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
In a Facebook post following the decision of the ECOWAS Court of Justice to dismiss all claims filed by the former Chief Justice against the Republic of Ghana, Mr. Ahiagba described the ruling as “deeply disappointing” and said it should concern all Ghanaians who believe in the independence of the judiciary.
According to him, the ruling raises questions about the ability of regional judicial institutions to protect public officials from what he termed targeted persecution and also casts doubt on the health of Ghana’s democracy.
Mr. Ahiagba alleged that the process leading to the removal of Justice Torkornoo was unprecedented and hurried, and accused the government of publicly humiliating one of the country’s highest judicial officers.
He further claimed that constitutional safeguards meant to protect the independence of state institutions were disregarded.
He argued that the former Chief Justice’s removal has sent a worrying signal to judges and public officials that exercising independence could come with consequences.
The NPP Communications Director accused President John Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of weakening state institutions and seeking to exert political control over the judiciary, which he said should operate independently of partisan influence.
Mr. Ahiagba described Justice Torkornoo’s attempt to defend her rights and office as a significant moment in Ghana’s democratic history and called on a future government to investigate and address what he considers an injustice against her.
He further urged Ghanaians, irrespective of their political affiliation, to speak against any actions that could undermine judicial independence, warning that a weakened judiciary poses a threat to every citizen.
Mr. Ahiagba called on supporters of democracy to channel their concerns into political action and work towards voting the NDC out of power in the 2028 general elections.
The ECOWAS Court of Justice recently dismissed all seven claims brought by former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo against the Republic of Ghana, including her claim for damages, ruling that Ghana had not violated her rights under the African Charter as alleged.
By: Jacob Aggrey
