Protesters want Chief Justice’s suspension reversed

Thousands of protesters clad in red and black yesterday poured onto the streets of Accra in a massive demonstration dubbed: #SaveTheJudiciary Demo, to oppose the suspension of Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo and other actions by President John Dramani Mahama, which they believe threaten the country’s constitutional democracy.

The protest, led by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), with support from other political parties, including the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), National Democratic Party (NDP) and the People’s National Party (PNP), began at the Supreme Court, where a petition was presented to the Judicial Council.

The protest

Protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “Justice cannot be suspended”, “Protect our democracy now”, and “Our courts are not puppets”, as they marched through the principal streets of Accra.

The demonstration moved from the Supreme Court to Parliament House, where another petition was presented to the Clerk of Parliament, and finally to the Jubilee House to deliver a petition to the presidency.

Notable figures in attendance included the NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, NPP Director of Communications, Richard Ahiagbah, National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, and some Members of Parliament, such as the former Education Minister and MP for Bosomtwe, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the Okaikwei Central MP, Patrick Yaw Boamah.

Leaders of other political parties also showed up, including Percival Kofi Akpaloo of the LPG.

Assault on country's democracy

Leading the charge was the Minority Leader of Parliament, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, who accused the current administration of orchestrating a coordinated assault on the country's democratic institutions, citing the controversial suspension of the Chief Justice, mass dismissals of public servants.

“Ghana is under siege, and there’s a call on us to rise, resist and defend the Constitution;” the 1992 Constitution is under brazen assault,” Afenyo-Markin declared.

“Today, the Chief Justice is under siege.

The head of the judiciary is being dragged through a sham process of removal from office, engineered by a desperate president,” he said.

He also accused the government of proposing politically motivated appointments to the Supreme Court  and systematically targeting institutions such as the EC to rig future elections in its favour.

“This is not politics as usual. This is a dangerous, coordinated attack on Ghana’s constitutional democracy and that is why we march today — to resist the rise of a new oppressor.

“One who wears a cloak of democracy but governs with the spirit of dictatorship.

We march not as partisans but as patriots.

We march because our Constitution demands it,” Afenyo-Markin stated.

He said the neutrality of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) was also under direct threat from the NDC administration.

“The government has captured the Ghana Armed Forces, stripping them of their professionalism and hard-won neutrality.

Our military, once revered for its apolitical stance, is now being painted in NDC colours.

This is a dangerous betrayal of the republic,” he said.

He added that hundreds of diligent, professional Ghanaians who had served governments of all political stripes with skill and integrity had been dismissed or forced to resign due to their refusal to bend to the will of the government.

“This is a direct assault on the principle of neutrality in public service.

It is a betrayal of the values enshrined in our Constitution,” the Minority Leader stated.

He, therefore, urged every citizen who cherished freedom to be loud, bold and fearless and must organise, mobilise and strategise until the agenda by the current administration was brought to its knees.

“To the judiciary, your foremost duty is to the Constitution, not to this government, not to any President and not to any political party.

Your oath of allegiance is to the Republic and its people.

In these trying times, we do not ask you to take sides, we ask you to be fair.

Stand for justice and stand for Ghana,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said.