Supreme Court Dismisses IMANI Africa’s Challenge to President’s Power Over Security Agency Heads

The Supreme Court of Ghana has dismissed a lawsuit filed by IMANI Africa that sought to limit the President’s authority to appoint and remove heads of Ghana’s security agencies.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Gabriel Pwamang, who chaired the panel, stated that the Court found no basis for the claims made by the plaintiffs and therefore rejected all the reliefs requested.

In its decision, the Court clarified that the positions of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and Director-General of Prisons are not protected under Article 191 of the Constitution, which provides security of tenure for certain public office holders.

The Court further ruled that the offices of the Chief Fire Officer and the Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service are governed by statutory provisions and remain subject to the President’s discretion. According to the Court, the Constitution grants the President responsibility for establishing and overseeing the country’s security framework.

The suit was initiated in 2024 by IMANI Africa together with security analyst Kwesi Aning. The plaintiffs argued that the President should not have unrestricted authority to dismiss heads of specified security institutions.

However, the Supreme Court concluded that the constitutional and legal framework supports the President’s powers in this regard, bringing the case to a close.