Clement Apaak on why 'Ghanaians won't tolerate colonialist-induced insults' from UK, Commonwealth lawyers

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Clement Apaak on why 'Ghanaians won't tolerate colonialist-induced insults' from UK, Commonwealth lawyers

Graphic.com.gh Aug - 18 - 2025 , 16:07 2 minutes read

The Deputy Minister for Education and Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has reacted to the statement by the Bar Council of England and Wales (BCEW) and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) asking that the suspended Chief Justice of Ghana, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo should be reinstated.

In a statement, Dr. Apaak described the statement from the two organisations as a “colonialist-induced insult” and warned that Ghanaians will not countenance external interference in their sovereign affairs.

“Ghanaians will not tolerate such nonsensical colonialist-induced insults, disguised as demands, from you. Never! You cannot order our President to ‘immediately and without delay reinstate the Chief Justice of Ghana….’ Such impudence!” Dr. Apaak stated.

He emphasised that President John Dramani Mahama remains bound by the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and is accountable only to the Ghanaian people, not to foreign legal bodies.

“John Dramani Mahama is the President of Ghana, an independent sovereign nation, and a Republic, for that matter. He is answerable to the people of Ghana, as mandated by our constitution, not to your associations,” he insisted.

“Ghana is not a banana republic,” the Builsa South MP added.

The Deputy Minister rejected suggestions that the Chief Justice’s suspension undermines the rule of law, stressing that the decision was made within the constitutional framework.

“Ghana is not a lawless banana republic. We have laws and are governed by a constitution. Our President has at all times conducted himself lawfully in the matter you have been contracted to make your business,” Dr. Apaak said.

He questioned the motives behind the international groups’ intervention, suggesting that they had been misled by unnamed collaborators intent on discrediting Ghana’s leadership.

“It baffles me how you are strangely unhappy with lawful actions undertaken as dictated by the constitution of our nation. Your collaborators have deceived you into damaging your reputation with these baseless demands. Withdraw your unjustified statement, and apologise to Ghanaians. Be guided!” he stated.

On April 22, 2025, President John Dramani Mahama suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo following three petitions alleging misconduct.