–BY Daniel Bampoe
In a major leadership overhaul at the University of Ghana (UG), President John Dramani Mahama has removed former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo from her role as Chairperson of the University’s Governing Council, replacing her with dim former Attorney-General, Marietta Brew.
The change comes shortly after Akuffo controversially abstained during a Council of State vote on the suspension of the sitting Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Torkornoo.
Justice Sophia Akuffo, a retired Supreme Court judge and alumnus of the University of Ghana, had been sworn in as Chair of the UG Governing Council in July 2021.
Appointed during President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration, her leadership was expected to help strengthen the University’s global competitiveness.
The Council, inaugurated by then-Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, was tasked with positioning the University as a leading institution internationally.
Justice Sophia Akuffo brought decades of experience to the role. She previously served as President of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and as Ghana’s 13th Chief Justice from 2017 to 2019.
Her appointment had been widely celebrated due to her extensive academic and judicial credentials, including a Master’s degree in Law from Harvard University.
However, her tenure on the UG Governing Council ended abruptly in April 2025, following tensions at the national level.
Sophia Akuffo, who currently serves on the Council of State as a former CJ, abstained during a critical vote that resulted in a majority decision to suspend and recommend the removal of the Chief Justice.
Though Sophia Akuffo maintained her principled stance by refusing to participate in the contentious decision, political observers suggest her abstention put her at odds with the Mahama-led administration’s agenda.
Following her removal, the Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Mary Chinery-Hesse, presided over a brief but significant ceremony to officially introduce Marietta Brew as the new Chairperson of the reconstituted Governing Council.
The appointment ceremony was held at the Chancellor’s residence and came after the Council was inaugurated by the new Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo welcomed the newly constituted Council, praising its diverse mix of experienced professionals.
She noted that four new government appointees had joined the Council, signaling a renewed push to align UG’s output with industry and national development goals.
In her inaugural address, Marietta Brew expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead and committed to working collaboratively with Council members, university management, and stakeholders.
“We are here to contribute, not to interfere,” she emphasized, pledging to uphold the University’s independence while ensuring its academic programs remained globally competitive.
The Chancellor, Ms. Chinery-Hesse, commended the outgoing Council, acknowledging their efforts to reposition UG strategically.
She expressed confidence that under Brew’s leadership, the University would further enhance its reputation as a producer of high-quality, job-ready graduates capable of impacting both local and global communities.
Meanwhile, the political undercurrents surrounding Akuffo’s removal continue to stir conversation.
While no official statement has been issued by Sophia Akuffo herself, sources close to the Council of State confirmed that she abstained from the final vote on the Chief Justice’s suspension — a move that reportedly frustrated key figures within the current administration.
Her removal from the UG Council is seen by many as part of a broader reshuffling by President Mahama to place trusted allies in key national institutions ahead of important governance reforms.
