By Edzorna Francis Mensah
Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress has called out President Akufo-Addo for “unholy and unconstitutional” plotting to pack the Supreme Court of Ghana with additional five (5) judges.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo, who has already packed the Supreme Court with an “unprecedented 15 appointments, is now conspiring with Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaba Torkonoo to add five more judges to our highest court. This isn’t just a political maneuver of an already existing failed President; it’s an assault on our democracy, a betrayal of public trust, and a direct threat to the integrity of our judicial system. Imagine the dire consequences of this reckless action’.
At the news conference in Accra, the General Secretary of the Party said, this government stops at nothing and is determined to create a judiciary that is no longer a check on executive power, but a mere extension of it, “this is not the Ghana our forefathers fought for; this is not the democracy we pledged to uphold. Our nation deserves better, and it is our duty to stand up and protect the very foundations of our democratic society”.
He submitted that safeguards must be established to protect judges from political influence and retribution, ensuring they can perform their duties without fear of repercussions.
He argued that Ghana stands at a precipice. “Our democracy, painstakingly built by the sacrifices of our forefathers, is under a grave threat from those who have sworn to uphold it.
Our judges must be free to uphold the law without fearing for their careers or lives.
The NPP’s tactics of intimidation and coercion must be stopped to preserve the sanctity of our judiciary”.
He further accused the President and the Chief Justice of manipulations, “the blatant, unconstitutional actions of President Akufo-Addo and Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo are not just political maneuvers—they are a direct assault on our judicial independence and the very soul of our democracy.
Imagine a Ghana where the judiciary becomes a mere extension of a failed executive—a tool for political retribution rather than justice. This is not the Ghana we pledged to uphold; this is not the Ghana we want to pass down to our children. We cannot, and we must not, remain silent. Our silence will only embolden those who seek to undermine our democratic institutions. We must rise with one voice, loud and clear, to defend our judiciary, to protect our democracy, and to preserve the integrity of our nation. Let every Ghanaian—young and old, men and women, from every corner of our land— stand up against this travesty and brazen attempt to hijack our judiciary”.
Below is the full statement;
