Suame Member of Parliament, John Darko, has cautioned political leaders against actions that could erode the independence of Ghana’s key democratic institutions, warning that persistent interference risks “bastardising” the very bodies meant to safeguard the country’s governance system.
Speaking on the AM Show on Monday, the MP said he is increasingly concerned about the growing trend of resorting to petitions and political pressure to remove heads of constitutional bodies whenever there is a change in government.
“I worry that if we continue in this direction, we are just bastardising our institutions,” he said. “We are going to highly politicise our institutions and every new government will want to do that.”
His comments follow confirmation by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, that petitions seeking the removal of the Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson, Jean Mensa; her two deputies, Dr Bossman Eric Asare and Samuel Tettey; as well as the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, have been formally submitted to the Chief Justice for action.
President John Dramani Mahama last week received 10 separate petitions requesting the removal of the officials — seven targeting the EC leadership and three focused on the Special Prosecutor.
But John Darko, a member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), insisted that such cycles of retaliation weaken institutions rather than strengthen them.
He stressed that he would publicly oppose any attempt by a future NPP administration to remove current officeholders simply because they were appointed by a different government.
“I’ve made it so clear that if God blesses me and I am alive in 2029 when NPP takes over, any attempt to remove any of the officials, I’ll reject it. I will speak against it,” he said. “We need to go beyond the politics at some point and allow our institutions to work.”
He further argued that politicians must be cautious not to inadvertently breach constitutional provisions in the name of political expediency. “When it comes to breaching the constitutional provisions, you can easily breach without knowing,” he added.
The petitions currently before the Chief Justice are expected to undergo preliminary assessment to determine whether they meet constitutional standards for impeachment proceedings.
The development has stirred intense public debate, especially given the sensitive nature of the EC and the Office of the Special Prosecutor in Ghana’s democratic architecture.
Darko emphasised that the credibility of these institutions depends on consistency, stability, and insulation from political vendettas.
“Politicians must be very careful,” he said, urging leaders to focus on strengthening — not unsettling — constitutional bodies that underpin credible elections, anti-corruption efforts, and rule of law.