By In a dramatic escalation of Ghana’s political crisis, the Minority Caucus in Parliament has thrown its weight behind a nationwide protest scheduled for May 5, 2025, to oppose the controversial suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Torkornoo.
The announcement, made public through a statement reported by TV3 Ghana earlier today, underscores a growing fear that the country’s hard-earned democratic values are under threat. As a concerned Ghanaian citizen, I find myself grappling with the implications of this unprecedented move—and what it means for the future of our nation.
The suspension of Chief Justice Torkornoo, Ghana’s third female chief justice, was announced on April 22, 2025, by President John Mahama, following three undisclosed petitions calling for her permanent removal. According to a BBC report, the petitions cite grounds such as incompetence and misbehavior—though their contents remain shrouded in secrecy.
Torkornoo, who was nominated by former President Nana Akufo-Addo in 2023, has yet to comment on the allegations. A five-member committee has been tasked with investigating the claims, and the Chief Justice will have the opportunity to respond before a final decision is made. However, the lack of transparency surrounding the petitions has fueled speculation and distrust, with Ghana’s former Attorney General alleging that the suspension is a deliberate attempt to undermine the judiciary.
The Minority Caucus, alongside a coalition of opposition and independent political groups—including the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), National Democratic Party (NDP), and People’s National Party (PNP)—has framed the suspension as a “direct assault” on Ghana’s constitutional democracy.
In their statement, reported by Adomonline, they argue that this is not merely a political maneuver but a “constitutional imperative” to protect judicial independence. The coalition, which also includes the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), plans to hold simultaneous protests across major cities on May 5, rallying Ghanaians to defend democratic integrity.
What makes this situation even more alarming are the broader political undercurrents at play. The Minority has raised concerns about alleged plots to remove the Electoral Commission Chairperson and her deputies—an action they warn could “plunge Ghana into a crisis of legitimacy.”
This comes on the heels of reports of widespread dismissals of civil and public servants, which the Minority describes as a politically motivated purge targeting young professionals. These terminations, they argue, strike a blow to national stability and economic justice, further deepening the political crisis.
As someone who has followed Ghana’s political landscape for years, I can’t help but draw parallels to past tensions. The opposition coalition has pointed to a purported attempt by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2010 to remove then-Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, suggesting that “history is being repeated.”
Moreover, the NDC, now the ruling party after the 2024 elections, has its own history of protest—last year, on September 18, 2024, the party led nationwide demonstrations demanding an audit of the voter roll ahead of the December general election, as reported by The Washington Post. The NDC’s concerns about electoral irregularities at the time highlighted vulnerabilities in Ghana’s democratic processes, despite the country’s reputation for holding peaceful elections since 1992.
The current crisis, however, feels different—more existential. Ghana has long been a beacon of democracy in West Africa, with nearly two decades of free and fair elections. But the allegations of judicial interference, coupled with fears of electoral manipulation, threaten to unravel that legacy.
The opposition parties insist their protest is not politically motivated but a “fight for Ghana,” as stated in a GBC Ghana Online report. “This is not about politics; it is about principle,” they declared, calling on citizens to “stand for justice, defend democracy, and protect our constitutional order.”
As May 5 approaches, I find myself reflecting on what this moment means for Ghana. The suspension of Chief Justice Torkornoo, the potential ousting of the Electoral Commission leadership, and the reported purges of public servants all point to a troubling trend of executive overreach.
If left unchecked, these actions could erode the very foundations of our democracy—judicial independence, electoral integrity, and professional impartiality. The Minority’s decision to back the protest is a bold one, but it’s a necessary stand to alert both Ghanaians and the international community to the dangers we face.
I urge my fellow Ghanaians to pay close attention to these developments. This is not a time for apathy or division along party lines. Whether you support the NDC, NPP, or any other party, the principles at stake—justice, democracy, and fairness—belong to all of us. The nationwide protest on May 5 is an opportunity to make our voices heard, to demand transparency, and to protect the Ghana we all cherish. Our democracy has weathered storms before, but it will only survive if we, the people, rise to defend it.
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