John Dramani Mahama and Godwin Edudzi Tameklo
The Acting CEO of the National Petroleum Authority, Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, has defended President John Dramani Mahama’s decision to suspend Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, citing Article 146 of the Constitution.
Tameklo argued that the president has acted within his constitutional duty and that the Minority in Parliament’s response is an attempt to politicise the matter.
Tameklo insisted that President Mahama has not taken any action contrary to the 1992 Constitution, adding that the NPP’s reaction is driven by fear and panic.
“Article 146 is clear as to the procedures which ought to be done. Has President Mahama done anything contrary to what the constitution stipulates? The answer is no,” Edudzi added.
Speaking in an interview on TV3 New Day’s Big Issue on April 23, 2025, and monitored by GhanaWeb, he insisted that the president has not taken any action contrary to the dictates of the constitution.
The Director of Legal Affairs of the NDC further emphasised that the president’s decision is anchored on constitutional provisions.
This comes after the Minority in Parliament and the NPP condemned the president’s action, describing it as a “brazen judicial coup” and an abuse of executive power.
President John Dramani Mahama, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, suspended the Chief Justice, Getrude Torkonoo, after it was determined that a prima facie case has been established against her following consultation with the Council of State.
Shortly after that, the Minority in Parliament and members of the New Patriotic Party condemned President Mahama’s action, describing it as a blatant abuse of executive power.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, April 22, the Minority accused the president of engaging in a politically-motivated witch-hunt aimed at undermining the independence of Ghana’s judiciary.
Meanwhile, Professor H Kwasi Prempeh of Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has raised concerns about the constitutional framework governing the removal of superior court justices, citing lack of transparency and potential compromise of judicial independence.
According to him, the current process lacks transparency and compromises the integrity of judicial independence.
“I have at least two problems with Article 146 in its present form. First, he criticized the secrecy surrounding removal petitions. While he acknowledged that proceedings may need to be held in camera, he insisted that the findings, grounds, and supporting evidence for any removal petition successful or not should be made public afterward. The public must not be kept in the dark as to why a removal petition failed or succeeded,” he emphasised in a post on his Facebook wall, arguing that transparency is crucial to maintaining public confidence in the judiciary.
MRA/AE
Meanwhile, watch GhanaWeb’s tour of Odweanoma Paragliding Field below: