Supreme Court dismisses IMANI suit on security chiefs’ appointment

The Supreme Court has dismissed a case filed by IMANI Africa challenging the President’s power to appoint and remove heads of Ghana’s security agencies.

The suit, filed in 2024 by IMANI Africa and security analyst Professor Kwesi Aning, sought to limit what the plaintiffs described as the President’s unfettered authority over security agency heads.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Gabriel Pwamang, who chaired the panel, said the Court found no merit in the claims.

All reliefs sought by the plaintiffs were therefore dismissed.

The case required the Court to interpret the President’s constitutional powers in relation to key security appointments.

In its decision, the Court distinguished between different categories of security leadership.

It held that the offices of the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of Prisons do not fall under Article 191 of the Constitution, which protects certain public officers from removal except under specified procedures.

The Court also addressed the positions of Chief Fire Officer and Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service.

It ruled that those appointments are governed by statute but remain within the President’s discretion.

According to the Court, the President has constitutional responsibility for constituting and overseeing the country’s security architecture.

The ruling means the President’s authority over the appointment and removal of heads of the affected security agencies remains intact.