Former Tamale Central MP and legal expert Inusah Fuseini has welcomed the Chief Justice’s decision to dismiss petitions seeking the removal of the heads of the Electoral Commission of Ghana and the Office of the Special Prosecutor, calling it an important boost for Ghana’s governance institutions.
Speaking on Newsfile, Fuseini said the ruling helps shield officeholders from political pressure and shifting public sentiment, while reinforcing respect for institutional roles and stability.
“From this decision, I see the Chief Justice as an institutionalist — someone committed to building strong governance structures and protecting those who occupy key offices,” he said.
The comments follow Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie’s determination that there was no prima facie case to warrant further investigation into the petitions targeting the Electoral Commissioner, her deputies, and the Special Prosecutor.
While backing the decision, Fuseini also raised concerns about judicial consistency. He pointed out that earlier precedents treated breaches of parliamentary acts, including the Procurement Act, as sufficient grounds to meet the constitutional threshold under Article 144(1).
“Although the CJ’s decision strengthens institutional independence, it appears to set a lower threshold than previous rulings. Consistency in judicial decisions is essential for maintaining public confidence in the courts,” he noted.
Fuseini described the ruling as a delicate balancing act between protecting institutional integrity and upholding constitutional norms, saying it underscores the judiciary’s pivotal role in Ghana’s democracy.
Reflecting on past cases, he added that the interpretation of the threshold could have led to different outcomes. “By today’s decision, it seems the threshold is lower. Perhaps if Justice Baffoe-Bonnie had been Chief Justice at the time, Charlotte Osei might not have been removed,” he remarked.