CJ Suspension: Ghana Bar Association Lacks Credibility and Consistency — Franklin Cudjoe

Franklin Cudjoe, Founding President of IMANI Africa, has criticized the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) over its reported call for President John Dramani Mahama to reinstate Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, who has been suspended.

In a statement shared on social media on Monday, April 28, Cudjoe questioned the credibility of the GBA, stating that the association has failed to be a consistent and trustworthy voice over the last eight years under the NPP administration.

He pointed to the GBA’s silence during the controversy surrounding the exclusion of the Santrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL) communities from the 2020 parliamentary elections, saying, “The GBA has not been a serious and credible voice these past eight years. I heard no word on the SALL debacle from them. Ignore them!!”

Joining the criticism, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, Deputy Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for Builsa South, also condemned the GBA’s stance. In a separate social media post on the same day, he accused the association of being selectively vocal, claiming it only becomes active when the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is in office.

Dr. Apaak asserted that President Mahama’s actions are grounded in constitutional mandates related to the petitions received and emphasized that the President will not be swayed by the GBA’s comments. “President John Dramani Mahama will not be distracted by a Seasonal Association, which only finds its voice when the NDC is in power. If the GBA believes he has broken any laws, the courts are there,” he posted.