Stephen Amoah, MP for Nhyiaeso and former Deputy Finance Minister, has sounded the alarm over the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, urging President Nana Akufo-Addo to reverse the decision to avoid long-term damage to Ghana’s democratic institutions.
Speaking candidly on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday, May 6, Amoah described the suspension as a potential flashpoint for democratic backsliding, stressing that while the president may have acted within constitutional bounds, the deeper implications for judicial independence must not be ignored.
“This is not just a legal issue—it’s a foundational issue,” Amoah declared. “We’re setting a precedent that future leaders could exploit, and that’s dangerous for our republic.”
He likened the situation to a slow erosion of democratic safeguards, warning that once the line is crossed, the judiciary could lose its standing as an independent arbiter in the balance of power. “The judiciary is the eye of the nation. Tampering with its independence is like scratching our vision as a country.”
Amoah also criticized the growing trend of politicizing constitutional matters, expressing frustration that national conversations are increasingly framed through partisan lenses. He questioned the impartiality of the Council of State, which reportedly supported the president’s move, suggesting that its members often reflect political affiliations more than independent counsel.
“If we continue to operate on party loyalty instead of national integrity, we will soon reach a point of no return,” he cautioned, adding that both NDC and NPP have been guilty of putting political expediency above institutional health.
In a direct appeal, the lawmaker called on the president to reinstate Justice Torkornoo, framing it as a decision that would protect—not undermine—constitutional democracy.
“Our democracy will not die in a dramatic collapse,” he said. “It will die through quiet legal decisions like this one—if we don’t speak up.”
