Kow Essuman, legal counsel to former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged the Presidency to publish the full report of the committee that recommended the removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
Mr. Essuman argued that transparency and accountability require that the public be allowed to scrutinise the process that led to the Chief Justice’s unprecedented dismissal.
“The President cannot hold these documents to his chest. There is no constitutional provision that allows him to do so. The Supreme Court itself has ruled that once the process is complete, the public has a right to know,” he said.
He noted that making the report public would help establish clear benchmarks for the impeachment of Article 146 officeholders, such as defining what constitutes “stated misbehavior” or incompetence.
“It also enables us to know what kind of standard has been set for the purposes of removing persons under Article 146. Without transparency, this process lacks legitimacy,” he stressed.
Dismissing earlier suggestions from presidential spokespersons that the report would not be published, Essuman maintained that both constitutional law and democratic governance demand disclosure.
“There is no legal basis, and no governance basis, for the President to continue to withhold this report. Transparency is key in a democracy,” he said.
Mr. Essuman expressed optimism that the Presidency would eventually release the document voluntarily but hinted that the matter could be tested in court if necessary.
Justice Torkornoo was removed from office on 1 September 2025 after President John Dramani Mahama acted on the recommendations of a five-member committee constituted under Article 146 of the Constitution. Her removal has since triggered heated debate over fairness, due process, and precedent within Ghana’s judicial and political circles.