The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government of hypocrisy over its recent nominations to the Supreme Court, arguing that the party’s current position contradicts its previous stance on judicial appointments.
His comments follow President John Dramani Mahama’s nomination of Tony Forson, a private legal practitioner and former President of the Ghana Bar Association, Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah and Justice Edward Amoako Asante, both Justices of the Court of Appeal, to the Supreme Court.
Speaking in an interview on Accra-based Joy FM, Afenyo-Markin questioned the government’s consistency, arguing that the latest nominations contradict the NDC’s previous opposition to the appointment of additional judges to the apex court.
“The President has the mandate to do that, but there’s a political question. The political question is: Is the NDC a principled political party? I submit that they are not a principled political party because, in opposition, they criticised the Akufo-Addo administration for packing the court,” he said.
He recalled that during the vetting of the last set of nominees, the NDC opposed the final process of their approval, and the situation escalated on the floor of Parliament.
“You recall that the last set of nominees, two of them, after vetting, the NDC opposed the final process of their approval, and they even became very violent on the House floor. The Ashaiman MP, you may recall that when the First Deputy Speaker was presiding, attacked the First Deputy Speaker. He was actually injured, Joe Wise. He bled close to his eye. Unfortunately, as fate would want it, time has exposed them. They are double standard, their hypocrisy, and their unprincipled posture. Is it now okay to nominate more judges to the Supreme Court?”
Background
Tony Forson, a private legal practitioner and former President of the Ghana Bar Association, Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah and Justice Edward Amoako Asante, both Justices of the Court of Appeal, have been nominated for appointment to the bench of the Supreme Court.
President John Dramani Mahama made the nominations in a move that will increase the membership of the country’s apex court if approved. The nominations were made in consultation with the Judicial Council, in accordance with the provisions of the 1992 Constitution, which requires the President to act in consultation with the Council before appointing Justices of the Supreme Court, subject to parliamentary approval.
Justice Edward Amoako Asante brings extensive judicial experience to the nomination, having previously served as President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice before returning to Ghana’s Court of Appeal. Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah has also served on the Court of Appeal and has accumulated significant experience within the Judiciary. Mr Tony Forson, the only nominee from private legal practice, is a former President of the Ghana Bar Association and has been active in Ghana’s legal profession for many years.
The three nominees are expected to appear before Parliament’s Appointments Committee for vetting, after which the committee will submit its recommendations to the House for approval.
