Nana Yaa Jantuah, a Senior Presidential Staffer, is questioning whether the removed Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, is a special breed of human for whom Ghana’s Constitution should be subverted.
She says that since Madam Torkornoo was removed based on constitutional provisions and not arbitrariness, any call for her reinstatement undermines the laws of the land.
According to her, it is the same constitutional provision that catered for the removal of former Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, which makes her question why similar calls were not made for Osei’s reinstatement when she was ousted as head of the election management body.
“Did anybody reinstate Charlotte [Osei]?” she quizzed, while speaking on TV3’s BigIssue segment on the NewDay morning show on Thursday, September 4, 2025.
She continued that Madam Osei might have been removed unfairly, but Ghanaians, including the National Democratic Congress (NDC), respected the Constitution without calling for her reinstatement.
She further questioned why the removed Chief Justice is making a fuss about the development when her colleague remained silent after the same process was used against her.
“You think the process they took Charlotte through was good? But Charlotte was quiet. Why should the person be reinstated when the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana has indicated otherwise? Maybe Araba Torkornoo is a very rare jewel that we’ve never seen before.
“She was sacked through some process we don’t even understand. But she didn’t go round making noise. Did you ever hear anybody in the NDC at the time even speak for Charlotte, or say anything in that manner?” she stated.
The Chief Justice was dismissed by the President on Monday, September 1, 2025. This followed the presentation of a report to him by the Committee tasked with investigating three petitions for her removal submitted by separate entities.
In a statement issued by the Minister in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, on Monday, September 1, 2025, it was stated that the President acted in accordance with Article 146(9) of the 1992 Constitution.
According to the statement, the Chief Justice’s removal was based on a petition by Samuel Ofori, which was investigated by the Committee constituted in accordance with Article 146(6).
“After considering the petition and the evidence, the Committee found that the grounds stated misbehaviour under Article 146(1) had been established and recommended her removal from office,” portions of the statement contained.
The Committee was constituted after a prima facie case was determined in the three separate petitions that sought the removal of the Chief Justice from office. In line with constitutional requirements, President Mahama constituted a five-member committee to conduct the inquiry.
The committee was chaired by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang of the Supreme Court. Other members included Daniel Yaw Domelevo, a former Auditor-General; Major Flora Bazaanura Dalugo of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF); and Professor James Sefah Dzisah, Associate Professor at the University of Ghana.
Prior to the commencement of the inquiry, the President, on April 22, 2025, suspended the Chief Justice after the prima facie case was determined from the three separate petitions, as enshrined in the Constitution.
Her suspension, carried out in line with Article 146(6) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, was done in consultation with the Council of State.
Subsequently, a five-member committee chaired by Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang was appointed by the President to investigate the allegations.
Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, after presenting the report to the President outlined what their mandate was.
“To the committee, our mandate and remit as set out under Article 146 Clauses (7) and (8) of the Constitution is clear and it is to inquire into the petitions in camera, hear the person against whom the petitions have been brought in her defence by herself or by a lawyer or other expert of her choice and then to make a recommendation to the President.”
‘You don’t respect the Constitution if you say Torkornoo should be reinstated’ – Nana Yaa Jantuah
