ND Report – National Tymes
A RECENT statement by Awal Mohammed, a member of the NPP communications team, accusing President John Dramani Mahama of “packing the courts with NDC lawyers” has sparked strong reactions, with critics calling the claim baseless and misleading.
Contrary to Awal Mohammed’s assertion, there is no evidence that any of the judges appointed under President Mahama were selected based on party affiliation.
All appointments followed due constitutional procedures, based on competence and merit — a departure from the partisan influence that characterised judicial appointments under the previous NPP government.
It was under President Nana Akufo-Addo’s regime that Ghanaians witnessed the controversial removal of Electoral Commissioner Charlotte Osei, a move many described as politically motivated.
Shockingly, some of the petitioners used to justify her removal were later found to be fictitious. This followed open threats by the NPP in 2016 to remove her if they came to power — a promise they fulfilled.
The suggestion by Awal Mohammed that the courts are being “packed” with NDC-aligned judges is therefore not only misleading but also a projection of the NPP’s own track record of politicising the judiciary.
What President Mahama is doing, according to observers, is unpacking the partisan legacy left behind by his predecessor and steering the judiciary back toward balance, fairness, and integrity.
Ghana’s democracy, they say, deserves a judiciary that serves the nation — not one that protects a political party.
In her place, Jean Adukwei Mensa, known to be related to former First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo, was appointed. Her tenure was widely criticised for lacking neutrality, especially during the disputed 2020 elections, which left at least eight Ghanaians dead, including children — in what many described as state-sponsored violence to retain power at all costs.
Under the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration, there was a strategic move to fill the judiciary with loyalists. Critics say this was a deliberate attempt to shield key government figures from future legal accountability.
Former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo was elevated above more senior justices, and her time in office was tainted by questions over procurement breaches and constitutional inconsistencies.
Now, as President Mahama begins the process of reform, his judicial appointments — 7 to the Supreme Court, 21 to the Court of Appeal, and 38 to the High Court — aim to restore public confidence in the judiciary.
These appointments are not politically motivated but rather part of a broader effort to rebuild a justice system grounded in professionalism and independence.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
