Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin
President Mahama promised to reset Ghana during the last general election which he won by a landslide. During the campaign not much was divulged about the resetting agenda and many Ghanaians didn’t really know what the resetting was all about. However, from recent incidents and like a jig-saw puzzle, when the current pieces of incidents are put together, some form of a picture emerges to suggest that the agenda for the resetting simply means, vengeance and vindictiveness. The indications are that certain individuals have been targeted for the “special treat” and the importance of the economic situation does not seem to enjoy the same priority.
Let me remind those who are pursuing this agenda about the law of Kharma – “what goes round comes around”. What is interesting is the absolute silence of the President to these incidents which are obviously infringing on the rights of individuals with impunity and a return to the arbitrariness of the revolutionary days.
It must be acknowledged that the Presidents’ landslide victory was NOT based on his popularity, gentility, handsomeness or Ghanaians’ love for him, but purely on his populist rhetorics of promises to reverse the economic hardships Ghanaians were facing to a lesser economic challenge. Some of the promises like removing the e-levy and game taxes have been done but promises of selling fuel GH¢6.00 per litre, GH¢25.00 for a bag of cement, a ball of kenkey for GH¢1.00 and many unfounded populist promises made are yet to be fulfilled.
I acknowledge that the regime has just completed its 100 days in office and needs more time to fulfil its promises. Unfortunately, the observations can’t wait because the direction of the government’s actions are the cause of my observations. Even though E-levy and the game tax have been removed, the cost of many items complained about during the campaign is still rising at an alarming rate.
Today price of cement has risen over GH¢120, a litre of fuel is around GH¢15.00 and a ball of kenkey is still around GH¢5.00 with diminished weight. The Governments’ budget has been read, and no tax was placed on cement. So, the question is where from the increases? What is observed is that the income of the abolished taxes has found its way mysteriously into the budget and the current escalation of prices of commodities and others confirm that some measures have been taken to recover the lost income.
On the January 19, 2018, the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare informed Ghanaians that the Vice President Dr. Bawumia had left for London with the second lady, for medical treatment, the NDC who was then in opposition made so much ugly noises as if it has never happened before in Ghana. The travel to London was criticised, the medical attention being sought was questioned, the cost of treatment unknown became an issue and the “babies with sharp teeth” had a field day.
The problem of not creating modern medical facilities in Ghana for Government officials to avail themselves to save the country the much-needed foreign currency to improve the economy were raised by the NDC as if they know it all. The NPP was painted as very insensitive to the plight of Ghanaians and these reasons and others were splashed everywhere as the cause of our problems. As usual, Nana Addo, received a lot of bashing, and the effort made to save the life of the Vice President was not an issue worth considering.
The cost of the frequent medical treatment of the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin at Dubai is also an interesting issue, the cost when compared to the visit to London by the Vice President Dr. Bawumia shows the hypocritical nature of the NDC.
What is surprising is that Okudzeto Ablakwa and his cohorts the “NDC’s angelic watchdogs” have found nothing wrong with the Speaker’s escapades and have kept quiet over these events. What Okudzeto Ablakwa and his angels should know is that when something is wrong it is wrong whether it happens in the NDC or the NPP.
The petitions to remove the Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo as leaked, suggesting that three charges have been preferred against her. These same charges were made against her before President Akufo-Addo left Office. President Akufo-Addo dealt with the case and for lack of evidence dismissed the case. President Mahama in a letter dated April 22, 2025, suspended the Chief Justice and has set up a committee to probe the petitions. Of all the charges, the third charge which deals with expenses incurred by the Chief Justice on her travels is the most interesting in comparison to the Speakers expenditures as outlined.
The third petition filed by a Ghanaian citizen alleges 21 instances of misbehaviour on the part of the Chief Justice and four counts of incompetence which must necessitate her removal by President Mahama. It alleges amongst others that the Chief Justice used GH¢261,890 of public funds for private foreign travel in 2023 with her husband and daughter who were not entitled to such benefits. They also spent $30,000 on per diem on the trip. It further claimed that the CJ in 2023, misappropriated GH¢75,580 on another trip with her husband to Arusha Tanzania where she spent $14,000 of accountable imprest which she failed to account for. Compare these figures to the Speaker’s whooping expenditures which has exceeded $4.2 million of the taxpayers’ money, and you wonder what is happening to accountability of state funds. Nobody has found it necessary to query the Speaker over his expenditure which should be of public interest.
In all these, Ghanaians are quiet over the MPs who took home double salaries, the whooping expenditures of the Speaker and the cost of medical treatment of the current Vice President which is being kept a secret. What is the NPP doing about all these especially the expensive medical cost of the Speaker in Dubai as alleged by Mr Salisu Sekyere?
Our democracy depends on the rule of law and the trial and removal of the Chief Justice, the head of our judicial system, should not be a serious matter. Such a precedence will be bad for Ghana.
By: Brig-Gen (Rtd) J. Odei