Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has rejected claims that former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo resigned from the Council of State in protest against the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, June 15, Mr Kwakye Ofosu described such assertions as speculative and unsupported by any evidence.
According to the Minister, the government has not received any communication from Sophia Akuffo indicating that her resignation was linked to the circumstances surrounding Justice Torkornoo’s departure from office.
He explained that a review of the resignation letter submitted by the former Chief Justice contained no reference to Justice Torkornoo’s removal or any concerns about the process that led to her exit.
No Evidence Linking Resignation to Chief Justice’s Removal
Mr Kwakye Ofosu argued that it would be unfair to attribute motives to Sophia Akuffo when she has not publicly or privately stated the reasons being suggested by commentators.
He further noted that the former Chief Justice has a long-standing reputation for expressing her views openly whenever she disagrees with government policies or actions.
As an example, he cited her public opposition to the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), during which she openly voiced her concerns and participated in public demonstrations.
“The former Chief Justice is known for being outspoken and highly principled. When she disagreed with the DDEP, she went on a public manifestation and demonstrated. If she had resigned as a result of Torkornoo’s removal, she would have stated, or she would have found some means to let you know,” he said.
Government Received No Such Communication
The Minister maintained that there is no official basis for linking Sophia Akuffo’s resignation to the removal of Justice Torkornoo.
“And so it is most unfair to ascribe motives to her when she has not communicated same. Government, as a matter of record, has not received any communication from her in respect of that. She didn’t say that in her letter of resignation,” he added.
The comments come amid ongoing public debate over the circumstances surrounding Justice Torkornoo’s removal and the subsequent resignation of Sophia Akuffo from the Council of State. However, government officials insist that no evidence has emerged to support claims that the two developments are connected.
