The Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tema Shipyard, Peter Mensah, has cautioned members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to cease what he describes as “constitutional masturbation.”
According to him, the government is operating within the laws of the country; however, the removal of Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkonoo aligns with Ghana’s constitution.
He noted that Article 146 of Ghana’s constitution explicitly states that the President can be petitioned for removal of the Chief Justice.
Speaking on the Angel Morning Show (AMS) on Thursday, May 22, 2025, he stated that NPP members must stop their claims that President John Dramani Mahama is not adhering to the constitution.
He expressed that the NPP is engaging in “constitutional masturbation.”
“What Justice Torkonoo and Godfred Dame are doing, do you know what it is called? ‘Constitutional masturbation.’ They should stop that and cease misinterpreting the law. Today the woman (Gertrude Torkonoo) is facing issues in camera.
“When you look at the woman’s petition, basically what she is telling Ghanaians is that Article 146 should be removed from the constitution, period.
“What her petition is about is to eliminate that portion from the constitution,” he stated.
This follows Chief Justice Gertrude Torkonoo seeking an injunction against the committee probing her removal.
He emphasised that the president and his administration are following the procedures outlined in the constitution and that the government has not overstepped the law.
Furthermore, he stated that the president could forward any petition filed against the Chief Justice to the Council of State to establish prima facie evidence, demonstrating that the petition is substantial for the nation.
According to him, the constitution clearly stipulates that once the committee is established, the Chief Justice cannot act as her own judge and must therefore suspend herself.
