Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) Fellow, Dr John Osae Kwapong, has cautioned against turning the process of removing the Chief Justice into a political tool.

He stressed that such a serious action should be based strictly on merit and not be influenced by political differences.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, March 29, Dr Osae Kwapong analysed the President’s response to a petition filed by Prof Kwaku Asare, highlighting the need for fairness in handling such cases.

“If you look at the President’s response to Prof Asare’s petition, you will see that he takes time to emphasise that the ultimate sanction of removal should only happen when the sin committed by the Chief Justice is very serious,” he said.

He warned that the removal process should not be used as a way to settle political scores or target individuals based on disagreements.

“The lesson here is that we must be very careful not to paint the picture that this removal process is becoming a political tool for resolving deep disagreements with people we may have differed with whether on certain processes or other issues,” he added.

Dr Osae Kwapong pointed to past controversies, including the removal of former Electoral Commission Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, as an example of how political statements can shape public perception of such processes.

“If you recall the case of the EC and Charlotte Osei, the process itself might not have been as controversial if, before the 2016 elections, there weren’t comments suggesting that if a particular side won, action would be taken against her,” he explained.

He urged politicians to be mindful of their statements, as past remarks can create doubts about the legitimacy of removal proceedings.

“This is one of the cautionary tales for our politicians. Some of the statements they make can come back to haunt them. Even if the process is legitimate, people will recall past comments and assume there is no coincidence,” he said.