Majority of Ghanaians support Chief Justice suspension – Global Info Analytics survey

A new survey by Global Info Analytics shows most Ghanaians support Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo's suspension. President John Mahama suspended her amid ongoing investigations into petitions against her.

The poll, conducted nearly a month after the suspension, reveals key findings. It shows that 53% of voters approve of her suspension. In contrast, 20% oppose it. Additionally, 12% are neutral and 15% have no opinion.

When asked about supporting her removal if evidence of unlawful actions is found, opinions shifted. Only 20% would support her removal now, down from 30% in April. Meanwhile, 33% still oppose her removal, a decrease from 35%. The neutral group increased to 20%, up from 19%, while those without an opinion rose to 27%, up from 16%.

Most voters across all regions support the suspension except in North East and Northern regions. On party lines, most voters back the suspension except for NPP supporters.

Only 13% of NPP voters support the suspension. In contrast, 87% of NDC voters are in favor. Among floating voters, support stands at 54%. Support is also at 58% among other parties and at 37% for those who do not disclose their affiliations.

Among those opposing the suspension, most are NPP voters (51%). Only 2% are NDC supporters and another 9% are floating voters. The poll sampled 2,558 voters randomly across all regions between May 2 and May 19, with a margin of error of ±2.51%.

Background: President John Mahama suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo on April 22 after establishing a prima facie case against her. This followed three petitions seeking her removal from office.

The president formed a five-member committee to investigate these petitions against Torkornoo. This action was announced through a statement from the Presidency and complied with constitutional provisions after consulting with the Council of State.

President Mahama cited Article 146(6) of the Constitution as justification for this inquiry into allegations against superior court judges. He determined there were sufficient grounds for further investigation into the matter.