Omanghana
Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has stepped down from Ghana’s Council of State, ending her tenure on the executive advisory body after reportedly resigning toward the end of 2025.
According to reports that emerged on June 14, 2026, Akuffo has not participated in Council of State meetings since submitting her resignation, a move that has sparked renewed debate over the relationship between the judiciary and the executive.
The reported resignation comes in the wake of the high-profile proceedings involving former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
Sources indicate that during deliberations in April 2025 on whether a prima facie case had been established against Torkornoo, members of the Council of State overwhelmingly supported moving the process forward. Sophia Akuffo reportedly abstained from the vote, making her the only council member not to support the decision.
Her position was widely interpreted as reflecting concerns about the fairness of the removal process and its potential implications for judicial independence.
According to accounts from individuals familiar with the matter, Akuffo expressed reservations during internal discussions about the constitutional procedures governing the removal of a sitting Chief Justice.
She later publicly questioned aspects of the framework, suggesting that the existing process could undermine judicial independence and calling for greater scrutiny of how such proceedings are conducted.
Following the eventual dismissal of Gertrude Torkornoo by President John Mahama in September 2025, Akuffo reportedly ceased participating in Council of State activities before formally resigning from the advisory body.
News of the resignation has generated significant public discussion, with some civil society groups and political observers questioning why the development was not publicly disclosed sooner.
Commentators have also pointed to Akuffo’s previous remarks emphasizing that members of the Council of State should provide independent and candid advice to the executive rather than simply endorse government positions.
As of the latest reports, neither the Office of the President nor the leadership of the Council of State has announced plans regarding a replacement for the former Chief Justice.
Sophia Akuffo served as Ghana’s 13th Chief Justice from 2017 to 2020 and remains one of the country’s most prominent legal figures.
Her reported departure from the Council of State marks the end of another chapter in her public service career and adds a significant dimension to ongoing national conversations about constitutional governance, judicial accountability, and the independence of state institutions.
Source: Omanghana
