The Director of Communication for the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagba, has strongly condemned a recent ruling by the ECOWAS Court of Justice, calling for a future government to launch a formal investigation into what he described as a severe violation of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo’s rights.
The regional court on Wednesday June 24, 2026, dismissed all claims filed by the former Chief Justice regarding her removal from office.
Mr Ahiagba described the decision as “deeply disappointing” and argued that it raises serious questions about whether regional judicial bodies are truly capable of shielding public servants from political victimization.
According to the NPP spokesperson, the dismissal fails to alter the public perception of the events leading to her removal, which he insists was orchestrated by the current administration.
“That a court established to uphold justice and shield citizens from governmental abuse has, in effect, remained silent on what most Ghanaians saw as a politically motivated attack on judicial independence is, to say the least, troubling,” Mr Ahiagba said in a statement.
He further alleged that the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government bypassed constitutional safeguards to intentionally humiliate the head of the judiciary through a rushed inquiry.
Mr Ahiagba warned that the dismissal has set a dangerous precedent, sending a “chilling, unmistakable message” to public officials and members of the bench that exercising independence carries severe personal and professional risks.
Characterising the former Chief Justice’s legal battle as a historic act of courage, the communication director linked her removal to a broader, systemic effort by the executive branch to compromise the neutrality of state institutions. He stressed that a compromised judiciary ultimately threatens the civil liberties of ordinary citizens, rather than just political opponents.
“Today, it’s Justice Torkornoo. Tomorrow, it could be you or your neighbour,” Mr Ahiagba cautioned.
Concluding his remarks, the NPP official urged Ghanaian voters and democratic advocates to channel their grievances into political mobilization ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He added that removing the NDC from power remains the only viable path toward restoring public confidence and strengthening institutional checks and balances across the country.
Below is the full piece
A future government must re-examine the abuse of Madam Torkonoo’s rights.
The decision by the ECOWAS Court of Justice to dismiss all claims filed by former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo is deeply disappointing. It calls for reflection by every Ghanaian who believes in the independence of our judiciary.
This ruling raises fundamental concerns not only about the adequacy of regional judicial mechanisms in protecting public officials from targeted persecution but also about the broader health of Ghana’s democracy. That a court established to uphold justice and shield citizens from governmental abuse has, in effect, remained silent on what most Ghanaians saw as a politically motivated attack on judicial independence is, to say the least, troubling.
Ghanaians must not forget what transpired. We saw an unprecedented and hurried process against Chief Justice Torkornoo, with a committee whose conclusion seemed predetermined before its proceedings concluded, the deliberate public humiliation of one of the highest judicial officers in the land, and a brazen disregard for the constitutional safeguards designed precisely to protect the independence of our institutions. No ruling can erase what we, Ghanaians, witnessed. No legal technicality, however clever, can cover up the Mahama-NDC government’s overreach, abuse of power, and calculated plot to erode constitutional governance.
The removal of Chief Justice Torkornoo has sent a chilling, unmistakable message to every judge and public officer in Ghana: exercise your independence at your own risk. This issue is not just about Justice Torkornoo as an individual. What we face is a pattern of executive conduct under President John Mahama and the NDC that systematically weakens institutions, intimidates independent-minded officials, and steadily consolidates political control over a branch of government intended to operate free of partisan interference.
Justice Torkornoo’s effort to defend her rights and her office will be remembered as a historic moment in Ghana’s democratic journey. It stands as an act of courage amid political persecution and a sobering reminder that, under the Mahama-NDC administration, even the highest court in the land is not beyond partisan overtures.
I sincerely hope that a future government will take all necessary steps to re-examine and address the clear injustice inflicted upon Justice Torkornoo. Ghana must not let this chapter close without accountability.
All Ghanaians, regardless of political belief, must speak out against the systemic weakening of judicial independence. A weakened judiciary risks not only political opponents but every citizen. Today, it’s Justice Torkornoo. Tomorrow, it could be you or your neighbor.
Therefore, I urge all democrats to channel this rightful anger into meaningful political action, including organizing, mobilizing, and voting the NDC out of power in 2028, so Ghana can once again have a government that strengthens governance institutions rather than exploits them.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
