Former Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo has officially stepped down from the Council of State after President John Dramani Mahama formally accepted her resignation, concluding months of internal consultations.
The announcement was made on Monday, 15th June 2026, by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications.
He confirmed that the resignation process has been finalised and that steps are already underway to appoint a replacement in accordance with the 1992 Constitution.
A Silent Exit
Addressing journalists, Mr Ofosu disclosed that Justice Akuffo originally submitted her resignation letter to the President in September 2025.
Notably, the former Chief Justice did not provide a public reason for her decision to exit the prominent advisory body.
“I can confirm that indeed, Justice Sophia A.B. Akuffo has resigned from her position as a member of the Council of State,” Kwakye Ofosu stated. “She submitted a letter in September 2025 to the President indicating her desire to resign. She did not disclose the reason for wanting to resign.”
Delayed by Council Intervention
The Minister explained that while the President was prepared to accept the resignation last year, the process was temporarily frozen following an intervention by the Council of State itself.
Members of the Council requested time to engage with Justice Akuffo to ascertain if she held specific grievances or concerns that could be resolved to persuade her to stay.
“When the President received the letter, he was required then to indicate his acceptance of her resignation,” Kwakye Ofosu explained. “But at the behest of the Council of State, he had to hold on because they said they wanted to engage Justice Sophia Akuffo to see if there was some grievance that she had… and whether or not there was a way that it could be addressed.”
However, those mediation efforts proved unsuccessful.
The Council of State recently briefed the President that their engagements had not altered Justice Akuffo’s position, advising that her request to step down be granted.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu added that the Council formally reported back to the President, leading to the official acceptance of her resignation.
Distinguished Public Service
Justice Akuffo has had a long and celebrated career in the Ghanaian judiciary, notably serving as the Chief Justice of the Republic from 2017 until her retirement.
Following her departure from the bench, she was appointed to the Council of State as one of the presidential nominees chosen to offer counsel on governance and national development.
Her departure marks the first high-profile exit from the current Council of State, an essential constitutional body that plays a pivotal role in advising the President on public policy and legislative matters.
Next Steps
With the seat now vacant, the government has moved quickly to initiate the replacement process.
Mr Ofosu assured the public that the law is clear on the processes required to replace her, and those steps are actively ongoing.
Government officials indicate that the process to appoint her successor is expected to be concluded in line with constitutional requirements in the coming weeks, with an official announcement expected in due course.