A CIVIL RIGHTS activist in Kumasi, Mr. Justice Dassah, has accused the President of trying to direct the Judiciary contrary to the dictates of the Constitution.
Dassah told a press conference in Kumasi that even though the Constitution specified that the Judiciary is not subject to control or direction, the President had in several instances acted contrary to this provision.
He made special reference to the appointment of Mr. Justice Kwame Afreh to the Supreme Court as an attempt to reverse the decision of the Supreme Court regarding the constitutionality of the Fast Track Court.
Speaking on "Protecting the independence of the Judiciary," Dassah said by his actions the President was trying hard to derail the course of justice by directly interfering with the Judiciary.
He also recounted the "closed door meeting" between the President and the Chief Justice to discuss problems of the Judiciary and described it as a disturbing development.
"This smacks of compromising the independence of the Judiciary," he said.
Dassah noted that the determination with which the CJ, like the President, had shown in maintaining the Fast Track Court, despite the Supreme Court decision, was striking and must be of concern to Ghanaians.
According to him, an independent judiciary is a prerequisite for good governance.
Dassah expressed surprise that the Ghana Bar Association had, to date, not protested against these developments and called on civil society to ensure that democracy works in the country.
Mr. Ludwick Hlodze, an NDC sympathizer, who associated himself with the concerns raised by Dassah, appealed to the government to work for the sustenance of democracy. "Ghana needs rule of law and not rule of government," he pointed out.
