Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has once again intensified calls for swift constitutional reforms to reinforce judicial independence in Ghana.

His calls follow the recent dismissal of Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo from her office as Chief Justice on September 1, 2025, by President John Dramani Mahama.

In an interview with Channel One TV on Monday, September 1, Kpebu criticised the powers granted to the President under Article 144 of the 1992 Constitution, which allows the executive to appoint a Chief Justice.

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He argued that this arrangement compromises the judiciary’s autonomy and opens the door to political influence, urging a review of the constitutional framework to ensure greater separation of powers.

“To safeguard the judicial independence, we have long advocated for change. Since last year, when her letter to Akufo-Addo became public, we have been pushing this matter for consideration (sic),” he said.

“In the Constitution, we do not want the President to be the one to appoint Chief Justices under Article 144. We want that provision removed,” he added.

Kpebu further asserted that removing presidential influence from the judicial appointment process is crucial to safeguarding the judiciary from political interference and preserving its impartiality.

In addition to critiquing Article 144, he advocated for a more transparent and accountable system for handling allegations of judicial misconduct, emphasising the need for reforms that restore public trust in the legal system.

“One of the things we must do is to categorise misconduct — to distinguish between serious offences and minor ones,” he explained.

“Without such categorisation, there is the danger that trivial issues may be treated with the same severity as grave breaches, leading to disproportionate consequences such as removal from office,” he said.

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