The Appointments Committee Of Parliament today, Tuesday, October 18, 2022 sat to vet certain Supreme Court Nominees. The nominees are 4 in number with 3 coming from the Court of Appeal, while one is from the High Court. The opposition National Democratic Congress has insisted on a number of occasions that the Judiciary has become a tool in the hands of the Executive.
The NDC have claimed that the judgement of the election 2020 petition is a clear example and have accused President Akufo-Addo of filling the Supreme Court with his own favorites. The first of the 4 nominees who was vetted today was Justice Barbara Frances Ackah-Yensu. According to her she has been an Appeal Court Judge in Tema for years now.
One of the interesting questions that came up was from Haruna Iddrisu. The NDC Ranking Member questioned Justice Ackah-Yensu if she agrees with the Supreme Court decision that birth certificates cannot be a form of identify. He questioned if that will help in public faith and confidence in this important institution.
“Honorable Chairman, unfortunately, I am not able to comment on this. If I heard you right you referred to the fact that the Supreme Court has made a decision. As a judicial officer, I am bound by that decision” Ackah-Yensu said.
Chairman of the committee, Joe Osei Owusu took the question a step further when he asked if Ackah-Yensu was conversant with that verdict of the court on birth certificates. She told that she knew little about the decision but insisted that she cannot critique that judgement and added that she can make a review of that decision if she is confirmed as a Supreme Court judge.
Justice Barbara Frances Ackah-Yensu if appointed to the Supreme Court will only get to serve for 2 and a half years before going on pension. The Supreme Court is already filled with a number of judges and many have raised questions as to whether more judges are needed at the Supreme Court. It will be interesting to see if the Appointments Committee approve Justice Barbara Frances Ackah-Yensu as a Supreme court judge.
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