Slams lack of nationalism, corruption on bench in explosive memorial lecture
By Gifty Boateng
Retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba launched a blistering attack on Ghana’s political and judicial elite this week, accusing MPs of abandoning national interest for partisan gain and condemning what he described as a “squashy” judiciary where some judges have become “terrible.”
Delivering the keynote address at a lecture marking the 20th anniversary of the death of former Speaker D.F. Annan, the outspoken jurist did not mince words before an audience that included Vice-President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang and a packed auditorium of legislators from both sides of the House.
Drawing sharp contrasts between the late Speaker Annan’s era and today’s political climate, Atuguba declared: “There is a yawning gap between the life story of this man and today’s happenings. Very unfortunate. I must be blunt.”
He recalled with evident nostalgia how Annan, a former Court of Appeal judge and two-term Speaker, embodied integrity, wisdom and tact qualities that “endeared him to ex-President Jerry Rawlings during the PNDC era without any challenges.”
Turning his guns on the legislature, Atuguba accused MPs of conducting a political “tug of war” that paralyses effective governance.
“Truth is indivisible, except you are talking politically,” he said. “I see this Parliament as standing for something else than the interest of Ghanaians.”
He castigated the divisive and partisan nature of parliamentary debates, charging that some members do little more than “the bidding of their parties.”
“Others are immersed in loyalty to the party and to whoever for the time is President, manoeuvring to progress along the political ladder irrespective of honesty, fairness and good service to the people of Ghana,” he added.
The retired justice also poured scorn on populist electioneering stunts such as pounding fufu or washing clothes, dismissing them as empty gestures if politicians are not genuinely committed to grassroots development.
“Power belongs to the people, not politicians,” he declared.
But it was his assault on the judiciary that drew sharp intakes of breath. Atuguba rebuked judges who, he alleged, have “turned the law upside down because of expediency.”
“Some of our judges are of high mettle, but the judicial stability is quite squashy,” he said. “I am not saying all of them i am not telling you anything new, we are all Ghanaians, you know.”
He added for emphasis: “This was a true judge not the type later on we experienced, we continue to experience. Some of them are terrible and we know it.”
Atuguba held up Annan’s life as a rebuke to today’s leadership. He recounted with admiration how Annan refused to intervene when his own son faced criminal charges in the United Kingdom, instructing Ghana’s mission to allow the law to take its course.
“Too committed to integrity was Justice Annan,” Atuguba said. “Now people with corrupt minds would have thought he would have used his overpowering judicial stature to interfere. He did not.”
In another anecdote, Atuguba recalled a wealthy litigant who arrived at Annan’s residence “with a sack full of money to influence” a ruling. Annan gave the man moments to disappear or face arrest.
Despite the grim assessment, Atuguba acknowledged that all is not lost. He singled out several MPs for praise, including:
· Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings (MP Klottey Korle): “She’s a woman of the people. A woman of principle, of dedication, of integrity. Why is she not yet a minister?”
· Andy Appiah-Kubi (former MP Asante Akyem North): Atuguba praised his “bold uprising” against a former finance minister a stance that cost him his seat.
· Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu (former Majority Leader): Commended for opposing the creation of additional parliamentary seats, which Atuguba labelled as wasteful “gerrymandering.”
He also paid emotional tribute to the late Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah and Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, who perished in the August 2025 plane crash, describing them as “men of integrity.”
Vice-President Opoku-Agyemang, who graced the occasion, said Annan’s legacy serves as a reminder that leadership is measured by integrity, courage and truth. She urged public servants to uphold public trust and remain committed to strengthening Ghana’s democracy.
Speaker Alban Bagbin was represented by First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor, who stood in for the absent Speaker.
The lecture, held under Bagbin’s auspices, was part of events marking two decades since the passing of D.F. Annan, who served as Ghana’s first and second Speaker of the Fourth Republic Parliament.
Justice Daniel Francis Annan served as State Attorney, Senior State Attorney, Circuit Court Judge, Court of Appeal Judge, and two-term Speaker of Parliament.
‘I am not saying these things out of spite’
Atuguba insisted his criticisms were necessary, not personal: “The ship of state has tilted very ominously. All is not lost there are some people who are good politicians.”