A founding member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has asked the suspended Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, to resign.
Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe made the call during a contribution on TV3’s BigIssue segment on NewDay Thursday, June 26, 2025, where he condemned the culture of Ghanaian leader’s inability to resign on principle.
“I would say finally, that she should just quietly write her resignation letter and leave that place,” he stated, explaining that “because that is what would be done in a civilised country.”
According to the former Ambassador, the Chief Justice, “after having dragged her name through the mud, has now come to confess that she is not the Chief Justice presently. We have an acting Chief Justice, and that is what she should know.”
Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe added that he had expected Madam Torkornoo to announce her resignation when she addressed the press on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
“I was surprised that the former Chief Justice came out to confirm certain things that have been my biggest concern in this country. And that is the inability for the Ghanaian official, be the person the President or Minister or whatever the person might be, to say no on principle.
“Indeed, one thing that has been worrying me all along, and yesterday (Wednesday) she came to underline it, that is the lack of saying ‘I am okay with it and I resign’. We don’t have culture of resignation in this country. And unfortunately, she came to confirm that,” he reemphasised.
His comments follow a press briefing by the suspended CJ on Wednesday where she alleged human rights violations and unconstitutional practices in the ongoing impeachment process.
Justice Torkornoo’s suspension on April 22, 2025, followed three petitions alleging misconduct, which President John Mahama deemed sufficient to trigger an investigation under Article 146(6) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
Following the petitions, a prima facie case was established, prompting the President to suspend the CJ pending investigation by a committee to determine the validity of the allegations.
However, Chief Justice Torkornoo, in an application to the Supreme Court, requested that the petition, typically held in-camera as Article 146 of the 1992 Constitution mandates, be made public. But the request was quashed in the apex court’s ruling.
During her address on Wednesday, she explained that the constitution does not give her the room to resign, the reason she is still holding unto her office despite what she describes as the violation of her human rights, amid the numerous calls for her to step down.
According to her, no public official has the right to resign whilst under investigation.
“Let me assure everybody that I do not seek to cling to a title or position. However, as a lawyer of 38 years standing, a Judge of 21 years standing, and Chief Justice of Ghana who has served in the rule of law all of my working life, I consider it my onerous duty and obligation to speak up concerning the administration of justice in this country.
“The situation I have been confronted with has shown me a model of injustice that I would never have thought possible if I had not been exposed to it. This is why despite great personal discomfort, I have decided to marshal every effort, in law and leadership, to answer to this situation.
“Furthermore, resigning or retiring while article 146 proceedings are being conducted to remove a Judge is not an option any Judge or public official is even allowed to have. There is a decided case on the subject by the Supreme Court,” she stated.
‘Torkornoo’s press conference exceeded the boundary set in law’ – Kpebu
