Ghanaians won’t tolerate colonialist-induced insults – Dr. Apaak responds to UK, Commonwealth lawyers

Deputy Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has strongly criticized the United Kingdom Bar Council and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) for their call to reinstate Ghana’s suspended Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo.

In a sharply worded statement, Dr. Apaak described the demand from the international legal bodies as a “colonialist-induced insult” and issued a firm warning against what he called interference in Ghana’s sovereign affairs.

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

Dr. Apaak emphasized that President John Dramani Mahama is bound by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution and is accountable solely to the Ghanaian people—not to foreign legal entities.

“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 asserted.

“Ghana is not a banana republic,” he added.

Rejecting claims that the Chief Justice’s suspension undermines the rule of law, Dr. Apaak insisted the decision was made in accordance with constitutional provisions.

“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,” he stated.

He also questioned the motivations behind the legal groups’ intervention, suggesting they had been misled by undisclosed local actors attempting to undermine Ghana’s leadership.

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

Background to the Controversy

On April 22, 2025, President John Dramani Mahama suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo following three separate petitions citing alleged misconduct and incompetence. After a prima facie case was established by the Council of State, a five-member inquiry panel, chaired by Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, was constituted. Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie has since been appointed Acting Chief Justice.

In response, on August 14, 2025, the Bar Council of England and Wales and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association released a joint statement demanding the Chief Justice’s “immediate and without delay” reinstatement. They warned that her suspension posed a threat to judicial independence and Ghana’s adherence to the rule of law.

The legal bodies accused the government of breaching the Latimer House Principles, raised concerns about restrictions on the Chief Justice’s legal team, and questioned the treatment of witnesses involved in the proceedings.

Justice Torkornoo has refused to resign and is currently challenging her suspension before the ECOWAS Court. She has described the process as “arbitrary,” “cruel,” and unconstitutional. The case is widely seen as a pivotal test of Ghana’s legal framework and the broader question of international influence in domestic governance.

Source:Fiilafmonline/3News