Dormaa East MP calls for independence of state institutions

The Member of Parliament for Dormaa East, Paul Twum-Barimah has urged politicians to refrain from politicizing the judiciary.

His comments come after NDC flagbearer John Mahama accused President Akufo-Addo of appointing over 80 NPP-aligned judges.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the 3rd Annual Lawyers Conference of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday, September 2, Mr. Mahama alleged that, “Currently, the judiciary is packed with NPP-inclined judges because this government has carried out a deliberate policy of putting their people onto the bench.”

The Dormaa East MP said such commentary about the judiciary only erodes public confidence.

“It is about time we focus on our institutions and build them. We don’t need to defame them and think that they don’t have the credibility that we need. Whether NPP or NDC, we need to build our institutions. Clearly, the former president [John Dramani Mahama] has worked with some of the judges in our courts and I assume he appointed a few ones. So if the NPP decides to defame those judges, how will we have confidence in them?

“We need to take our politics out of certain institutions of this country. Certain aspects of this country must be protected and the sanctity of the judiciary must be protected, the Electoral Commission must be protected and the security services must be protected. We should not take our political activities to those areas.”

Dormaa EastP