The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused President Akufo-Addo of appointing New Patriotic Party loyalists to the country’s courts to exert control over the judiciary and evade accountability after leaving office.

The criticism arises following Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo’s recommendation of five judges for appointment to the Supreme Court.

General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey,expressed these concerns during a press conference on Thursday, highlighting the party’s apprehension about the president's approach to judicial appointments.

Kwetey raised alarms over what he described as a troubling trend of partisan appointments to independent state institutions, warning of potential negative consequences for national stability.

“We are concerned about a worrying pattern which irresistibly suggests that the President is appointing only loyalists of his party to these courts to have control of the judiciary and escape post-regime accountability. It is also very clear that the President is packing the courts ahead of the impending presidential and parliamentary elections with judges who are sympathetic to his party.

“Such deliberate politicisation and bastardisation of independent institutions of state, including the judiciary, can negatively impact the peace and stability of our democracy.”

“It is trite knowledge that without a fair and impartial judiciary, democracy and constitutionalism suffer. That is why this must be an issue of huge national concern as it adds to the many other issues that already pose threats to the peace and stability of Ghana’s democracy,” he stated.

Kwetey stressed the vital role of a fair and impartial judiciary in upholding democracy and constitutional governance, emphasizing the gravity of the issue as a national concern amidst existing threats to Ghana’s democratic fabric.