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Constitution’s impeachment provisions for Chief Justice are ‘inadequate’, says Sophia Akuffo
Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has called into question the adequacy of constitutional provisions for the impeachment of the Chief Justice.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Tuesday, January 7, she offered a nuanced critique of the process while responding to recent calls by legal scholar Professor Kweku Asare for the removal of the Chief Justice.
She emphasized the importance of due process and highlighted gaps in the current framework, noting that impeachment is a serious and complex procedure that must be anchored in robust constitutional guidelines.
“Impeachment Is Not Simple Removal”
When asked about Professor Asare’s demand for the Chief Justice’s removal in the waning days of President Akufo-Addo’s tenure, Madam Akuffo was direct.
“What has she done? Has she committed any offence of misconduct? Well, that needs to be proven. You don’t just get up and impeach,” she stated.
Clarifying the distinction between “removal” and “impeachment,” Sophia Akuffo noted that the latter involves a detailed constitutional process.
“Let’s not even use the word ‘removal,’ because before you reach removal, you’re going to go through an impeachment process, which must follow the dictates of the Constitution,” she explained.
“Constitutional Provisions Are Inadequate”
Akuffo expressed concern that Ghana’s Constitution falls short of providing a robust framework for impeaching a Chief Justice or other high-ranking officials.
“Personally, I don’t think the provisions of the Constitution are adequate for the purpose of impeachment of anybody,” she remarked.
She elaborated on the procedural shortcomings, pointing out that the current arrangement places significant power in the hands of the President and the Council of State.
“In the current arrangement, you petition the President, and in the case of the Chief Justice, the matter is referred to the Council of State, which has to go through certain processes,” she said.
The Role of Due Process
Akuffo underscored the importance of adhering to due process in impeachment cases.
“It’s not just a question of, ‘I want to remove this person,’ and then he goes to the Council of State, and then the Council of State comes back and says, ‘Yeah, we agree with you. Go ahead and do it.’ There has to be due process,” she emphasized.
According to Akuffo, due process involves more than simply filing a petition.
“The petition must set out some reason. That’s part of what due process is all about,” she explained, adding that even in lower courts, there are structured processes that must be followed.
Calls for Constitutional Reform
While Akuffo admitted she had not followed the specifics of Professor Asare’s call, she expressed scepticism about whether sufficient justification had been provided.
“I’m yet to know what the justifications are that the petitioner has even for asking the removal of the Chief Justice. It’s not that easy, even under the Constitution as it is now,” she stated.
The Vice Chancellor of the Pentecost University, Apostle Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, is advocating an intentional conversation about the development and education of the boy child in creating stronger families and societies.
According to him, the boy child must not be ignored in conversations on leadership, education, family stability and national transformation because they are key to national development.
“There is a reason why a boy child must not be denied opportunities like education; he is a future leader. When boys are trained well, society becomes safer and stronger,” he stated.
Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua made the remark at a forum organised by the Church of Pentecost Schools Outreach Ministry in Accra to observe the International Day of the Boy Child observed on May 16.
It was held in collaboration with the Pentecost Men’s Ministry and the Ghana Education Service (GES), and under the theme: ‘Flourish and Thrive: Investing and Unleashing Boys for Strong Families and Communities.’
Leading the discussion, the Pentecost University Vice Chancellor warned that poor mentorship, declining in education, harmful social media influences and emotional neglect have made a lot of young boys vulnerable.
With a lot of the attention switching to the girl child, the boy child, he said was confronted with many challenges including violence, substance abuse, educational decline, emotional neglect and the absence of positive role models.
According to Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua, he noted that boys were turning to social media for direction due to the absence of fathers and mentors to help shape their lives.
“If we are not intentional, social media will mentor our children for us. We are not saying they should not use social media, but they should be guided to access the right information to excel in life,” he stated.
Prof. Agyapong-Kodua urged society to encourage boys to become creators of technology rather than mere consumers.
Contributing, Madam Gifty Asiedu, Director of the Girls’ Education Unit at the GES Headquarters, said the service remained committed to ensuring that no child was left behind, adding that, “supporting the boy child should not come at the expense of progress made in girl-child education.”
“If you focus intentionally on one gender and neglect the other, you create a societal problem,” she underlined.
She said the GES had observed some decline in boys’ retention in school, although the gap between boys and girls was not yet too wide.
“Over the years, attention has been focused on the girl child and we have seen the benefits. However, data now show that the statistics concerning the boy child continue to decline,” she indicated.
She explained that the service was implementing gender-responsive education to ensure that classroom teaching addressed the needs of both boys and girls equally.
Elder Barima Acheampong Sarpong II, Deputy Director of the Pentecost Men’s Ministry and Chief of Asante Asaman in the Ashanti Region, said society needed to critically examine the plight of boys.
“As we celebrate the International Day for the Boy Child, I urge every man to identify one boy child, find out how he is doing and dedicate some time to mentoring him,” he explained.
The programme, attended by educators, church leaders and policymakers, was the second edition following a partnership initiated last year between the Schools Outreach Ministry, the Pentecost Men’s Ministry and the GES.
It sought to improve school enrolment, completion rates and learning outcomes among boys so they could grow into responsible men who would build strong families and communities.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Candidates that wrote the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in Ho Municipality are hopeful of obtaining good grades to make everyone especially their parents and the Regional Minister proud.
The candidates said they had so far sat the examination with focus and integrity after a call from Mr James Gunu, Regional Minister to avoid examination malpractice saying, they expected great performance upon release of results.
Mr Gunu, at the start of this year’s BECE delivered the message during a monitoring visit to some centres in the municipality including Ho Kpodzi EP Basic A School, Mawuli School, Mawuko Girls Senior High School (SHS), and Kabore School.
He urged the candidates to rely on hard work and discipline, warning that shortcuts could jeopardise their future.
“Stay focused and give your best in this year’s BECE – your determination and hard work will pay off. Avoid shortcuts and examination malpractice; integrity matters just as much as success,” he said.
The Minister, accompanied by the Ho Municipal Chief Executive, the acting Volta Regional Director of Education, and the Ho Municipal Director of Education, encouraged candidates to view the exam as a foundation for their academic journey and to celebrate responsibly after the final paper, commending parents, guardians, teachers, and officials of the Ghana Education Service for their support in preparing the candidates.
Candidates at some of the centres Ghana News Agency visited, echoed the call for honesty and high standards.
At Kabore School, Ms Francisca Atsu of Sokode Lokoe MA Basic School said, “The Regional Minister was here earlier to speak to us and also to encourage us. We’ve done our best. I assure him that we will make him and our parents proud.”
At Taviefe SHS Centre, Ms Valentina Sakpla of Taviefe R.C Basic School added, “We are expecting good results to make everyone proud and for our own good.”
Mr David Dotse, Supervisor at Kabore School, hosting 11 schools, with a standby ambulance on site to cater for any health emergency, reported smooth proceedings. –GNA
