A government Spokesperson, Kofi Tonto, has admitted to the hypocritical nature of politics in the Ghanaian dispensation.
Making an appearance on Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV, Kofi Tonto observed that the loopholes in the constitution which give a president the sole power to appoint as many judges as he wishes to should be regulated.
“There is a bit of hypocrisy in our politics. The issue is we have to solve the problem. We don’t have to compound the problem, let’s jaw-jaw, with the GBA, NDC, NPP other neutral arbiters. Let’s sit down and deliberate on the gaps in our constitution, what is making room for these things, and inherent injustices to occur for argument’s sake so we can cure them, once and for all,” he said.
Kofi Tonto believes the problems confronted with the judicial system did not begin with the current administration hence the assertion by former President John Mahama that President Akufo-Addo has appointed cronies to occupy the judiciary is unfounded.
“The challenges within our judicial system didn’t start with Akufo-Addo and it will not end with Akufo-Addo, I don’t think we can solve all our judicial issues post-Akufo-Addo in the next one year,” he said
BACKGROUND
Former President John Dramani Mahama accused President Akufo-Addo and his government of piling the Judiciary with judges sympathetic to the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 3rd Annual Lawyers Conference of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday, September 2, 2023, Mr. Mahama said the party has done this to help them avoid accountability when they are out of office.
He indicated that there are about 80 of such judges in the system, and the number may cross 100.
“Currently, the judiciary is packed with NPP-inclined judges because this government has carried out a deliberate policy of putting their people onto the bench.”
“He [Akufo-Addo] has appointed the biggest number of judges onto the bench, it is more than 80 towards 100 and counting. You can see what the current president has done.”
By: Vanessa Edotom Boateng | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana
