By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
Ghana’s Apex court, the Supreme Court, has dismissed a suit filed by a Thin-Tank group, IMANI Africa, challenging the President’s constitutional authority to appoint and remove heads of the country’s security agencies.
Delivering the judgment, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Gabriel Pwamang, said the Court found no merit in the plaintiffs’ case and accordingly dismissed all the reliefs sought.
In its ruling, the Court distinguished the offices of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Director-General of Prisons, holding that those positions do not fall within the scope of Article 191 of the Constitution, which provides protection for certain categories of public office holders.
However, the Court held that the appointments of the Chief Fire Officer and the Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service are governed by statutory provisions and remain within the President’s discretion, as the President is constitutionally mandated to constitute and oversee the nation’s security architecture.
The suit was filed in 2024 by IMANI Africa, together with security analyst Professor Kwesi Aning.
The plaintiffs had asked the apex court for interpretation on whether or not the President has unfettered authority to terminate or remove heads of specified security agencies from office.
