Parliament has approved the nomination of three persons for appointment as Justices of the Supreme Court, despite a boycott of the vetting process by the Minority Caucus.
The nominees are Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko-Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and private legal practitioner Anthony Forson Jnr, a former President of the Ghana Bar Association.
The approval followed the adoption of the Appointments Committee’s report, which recommended all three nominees for appointment to Ghana’s apex court.
The Minority Caucus, led by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, boycotted the vetting, arguing that the process was being rushed and did not comply with established parliamentary procedures.
Afenyo-Markin said the Minority’s concerns were not about the qualifications or competence of the nominees but rather the manner and timeframe within which their nominations were being considered.
He questioned the urgency of the appointments, arguing that there was no vacancy on the Supreme Court that required an immediate replacement and raising concerns about the shortened period for public scrutiny of the nominees.
However, Chairman of the Appointments Committee Bernard Ahiafor rejected the Minority’s objections and directed that the vetting proceed.
The Minority subsequently walked out of the committee proceedings, allowing the Majority to continue with the vetting and consideration of the nominees.
Despite the boycott, the committee recommended all three nominees for approval, paving the way for their consideration by the full House.
Profiles of the nominees
Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko-Essah is a Justice of the Court of Appeal with extensive judicial experience. She was previously nominated for appointment to the Supreme Court in 2024, but the process was not completed before the change of administration.
Justice Edward Amoako Asante, also a Court of Appeal Justice, previously served as President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice before returning to Ghana’s Court of Appeal.
Anthony Forson Jnr, a private legal practitioner and former President of the Ghana Bar Association, brings extensive experience from private legal practice.
The parliamentary approval clears the way for the three nominees to proceed with the remaining constitutional requirements for their appointment to the Supreme Court of Ghana.
Source: citinews
