By Ashiadey Dotse
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers Authority, Professor Ransford Edward Van Gyampo, has said that claims suggesting the process to remove the suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo is unfair are not enough and should not be taken at face value.
Speaking in an interview on TV3’s Keypoints program on Saturday, May 31, 2025, Prof. Gyampo disagreed with those who argue that the process is biased. He questioned the basis of the complaints, asking why the views of a few individuals should outweigh the legal procedures already in motion.
“I don’t agree with the view that the process is unfair. What’s the basis? Is it just because the Chief Justice herself says so? Or because some 46 lawyers met and made a statement?” he asked. “Out of over 6,000 lawyers in Ghana, can the opinion of just 46 represent everyone?”
He also criticized what he called political bias in the public discussion around the matter. Prof. Gyampo said the situation should be handled calmly and without political influence, emphasizing the need to focus on facts and legal standards.
According to him, the Chief Justice, have shown “double standards” and are trying to politicize the issue. He defended the right of the Chief Justice to challenge the process but said that doing so does not make the process unfair.
“If a petition has been filed and a prima facie case has been made, then we must follow the law,” he said. “If she is innocent, the law will clear her. If she is not, the law will also deal with that.”
He also took aim at the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), questioning its credibility and consistency. He said the position of the 46 lawyers who criticized the process should not be mistaken as the official view of the GBA.
“The same Bar Association kept quiet under past governments, and now suddenly they are loud. Are they truly credible?” he asked.
Professor Gyampo warned against drawing conclusions based on emotions and politics, urging Ghanaians to respect legal procedures and allow due process to take its course.
“We must be serious as a country. If it’s wrong, it’s wrong. If it’s right, it’s right — no matter who is involved,” he stated.
