Member of Parliament for Afigya Kwabre North, Collins Adomako-Mensah, has cautioned political actors to exercise restraint in their public commentary regarding judicial appointments, warning that previous political statements could undermine public trust in the impartiality of the judiciary.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Thursday, May 1, the Afigya Kwabre North MP stated that the politicisation of judicial appointments, especially comments made by political figures while in or out of power, often shapes how the public perceives such decisions.
His remarks come in the wake of President John Dramani Mahama’s nomination of seven Court of Appeal judges to the Supreme Court. The appointments, which fall under Article 144(2) of the 1992 Constitution, are currently awaiting parliamentary approval.
The nominees are Justices Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei, Gbiel Simon Suurbaareh, Senyo Dzamefe, Kweku Tawiah Ackaah-Boafo, Philip Bright Mensah, Janapare Bartels-Kodwo, and Hafisata Amaleboba.
According to Adomako-Mensah, public concerns surrounding the nominations, particularly the perception that they are politically motivated, stem from prior comments made by President Mahama, who once urged NDC-affiliated lawyers to pursue judicial positions as a way to “balance” the bench.
“The only problem we have here is the politicisation of the comments both political parties have made in the past with regards to appointments to the bench. President Mahama was speaking to NDC lawyers at a conference when he advised them to upgrade themselves from just being lawyers to the bench, which then will allow them to be considered for the Supreme Court to balance the bench.”Adomako-Mensah said.
He noted that because of these earlier statements, any new nominations from the Mahama-led administration, particularly so soon into his current term, are likely to be interpreted through a partisan lens.
“If, within the first four months, you begin to nominate judges to the bench, the obvious characterisation that anybody will give to this appointment is that the balancing effect he promised has started.
“I will be shocked if anybody has a problem with Dennis Adjei’s appointment, but because of the comment made by the president before, everybody will see all these seven judges as NDC-affiliated.
“Let us be mindful of our comments as politicians, whether we are in opposition or government, otherwise you might be doing the right thing, but the interpretation by the ordinary Ghanaians will be that the Excellency has just started what he promised the NDC lawyers. This may be a balancing of the bench, but I am hoping that is not it.” he warned.