Legal expert Kwame Adofo has expressed skepticism about the possibility of impeaching President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo or any sitting president in Ghana.
According to Adofo, Ghana’s political landscape pose significant challenges to impeachment processes suggesting that it is highly unlikely to happen in his lifetime or the foreseeable future.
“So impeachment as I can see it in Ghana, it will never happen, neither in my lifetime or ours, it will never happen,” he was certain.
In an interview with Nana Yaa Brefo and JB, the lawyer explained that there were strict requirements for impeachment, adding that the Minority would need to draft specific articles citing breaches of constitutional oaths and laws by President Akufo-Addo.
“It is not an easy process in Ghana or anywhere else, they have to draft an article of impeachment for example which states that per the President’s conduct, he has breached Article 1, per his conduct he has breached Article 2, Article 101, whatever it is.
“And they will say that on the basis of all these, Mr President, you have breached the Oaths of Office on which you swore on January 7,” he noted.
After the draft, Adofo noted the need for two-thirds support from Members of Parliament for a successful impeachment, a task he considered difficult given the current political climate.
He pointed out the political divisions, indicating that members from opposing parties are unlikely to endorse moves to oust their own party’s leader.
“After that, you will need two-thirds of Members of Parliament to approve it, now in this kind of Parliament who can ever get two-thirds. There is no way NPP Members of Parliament will go and support an NDC to remove their President and there is no way NDC Members of Parliament will support NPP to remove their President,” he explained.
The legal expert’s remarks come in response to an announcement by the Minority in Parliament of their intent to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Akufo-Addo.
Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson cited the President’s refusal to assent to the anti-gay bill as grounds for impeachment, affirming a commitment to upholding Ghana’s constitutional integrity.
Despite the Minority’s intentions, Adofo remains doubtful about the likelihood of impeachment proceedings materializing.
By Lois Dogbe|Onua FM
