Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has renewed calls for urgent constitutional reforms to strengthen judicial independence in Ghana, following the recent removal of Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.

Speaking on Channel One TV on Monday, 1 September, Mr Kpebu criticised the authority granted to the President under Article 144 of the 1992 Constitution, which empowers the executive to appoint the Chief Justice.

“To safeguard judicial independence, we have long advocated for change. Since last year, when her letter to Akufo-Addo became public, we have been pressing this matter,” 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.”

Mr Kpebu argued that eliminating presidential involvement in the appointment process was essential to protecting the judiciary from political interference and ensuring impartiality.

Beyond Article 144, he also called for a more transparent framework for addressing judicial misconduct.

“One of the things we must do is 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.”