President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has nominated four judges as justices to the Supreme Court (SC).
The nomination is in line with Article 144(2) of the 1992 Constitution which states that “…Supreme Court Justices shall be appointed by the President acting on the advice of the Judicial Council, in consultation with the Council of State and with the approval of Parliament”.
The nominees are Justice Barbara Frances-Ackah-Yensu, Justice George Kingsley Koomson, Justice Kwame Adibu Asiedu, all Justices of the Court of Appeal and Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu, Justice of the High Court.
This was in a communication from the President to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, and read to Members of Parliament, at the commencement of sitting in, Accra, yesterday.
“As a result of the pending and projected vacancies on the Supreme Court, this year, the Judicial Council advised me on July 4, 2022 by a letter under the hand of its Chairperson, Chief Justice Anin Yeboah, of the suitability of my nominations for appointment,” the communication read in part.
The communication continued: “Upon receipt of the Judicial Council’s advice and in accordance with my duty, I consulted with the Council of State by submitting the names and curriculum vitae of the nominees for appointment to the court.
“The Council of State has by a letter dated July 25, 2022 notified me of the successful completion of the consultation process. I am fully satisfied that each of these persons is duly qualified and eminently fit to discharge their functions to discharge the functions of a justice of the Supreme Court.”
The letter sought the “expeditious” approval of Parliament to enable the nominees assume office “as soon as practicable”.
If approved, the number of Supreme Court Judges would increase to 18 from the current 14.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
