Being unreasonable does not always mean breaking the Constitution. Yet what we are witnessing today strikes at the heart of Ghana’s democratic experiment. For the first time in 68 years as an independent republic, a Chief Justice has been removed from office.
This is nothing short of a constitutional Coup d’état, staged by a man who, at seven years old, saw Kwame Nkrumah overthrown and his own father, then a minister, imprisoned for over a year. That trauma shaped his worldview. And now, by this act, who knows what seeds of bitterness are being planted in another child or politician who may one day strike at the judiciary?
This is a dark moment. It sets a precedent that weakens our democracy. President Mahama has less than four years to lead. Why waste that precious time and his reputation on such a divisive, destabilizing decision?
Not everything legal is right. Not everything permissible is wise. The allegations against the Chief Justice are flimsy and unsubstantiated. They cannot justify removing the head of one of our three coequal arms of government.
Let us be clear:
•The Chief Justice is already subject to internal and external audits.
•Budget allocations are matters of accounting procedure, not her personal discretion.
•What is being called misconduct is, in truth, a distortion of responsibility.
This is not accountability. It is political expediency.
I strongly suspect the President is bowing to partisan forces that contradict his reputation. But he must beware: the shadow of this decision will outlast his presidency.
Instead of fixating on dismissals, Ghana must face its deeper problem: an executive with near-absolute power. Once elected, the President becomes a virtual king. The tragedy is that, while constitutional, such concentrated power is often exercised without restraint. True leadership is measured not by what one can do, but by what one chooses not to do.
Meanwhile, the chorus of fanatics chants: “Law is law.” “She is guilty.” “If you don’t like it, go burn the sea.” Empty rhetoric. Tomorrow, when the tables turn, the same voices will cry foul. We do not learn.
No serious democracy in the world removes a Chief Justice on grounds this trivial. Ghana now risks being remembered as the first, and for the wrong reasons. It undermines the separation of powers, erodes checks and balances, and tarnishes our international standing.
Across Africa, we build fragile institutions only to destroy them for short-term gain. I recall a neighboring president who once vowed to step down after two terms. I praised his principles. Yet, in the end, he caved to sycophants and opportunists. Today, he is one of the most despised men in his country. The same people who shouted “Hosanna!” now cry “Crucify him!”
This is the fate of leaders who trade ideals for expediency. Leadership without principles collapses into vengeance and disorder.
I hope that Ghana’s leaders and its citizens will learn from the failures around us. Power is fleeting, but the scars of reckless decisions endure. If we do not defend our institutions today, there may be none left to protect tomorrow.
By: Dr Sam Ankrah
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