Godfred Yeboah Dame
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has refuted allegations by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the President is parking the Supreme Court with judges sympathetic to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to him, the recent nomination by the President was at the behest of the Chief Justice and there is no malice in the process as alleged by the NDC.
Mr. Dame also indicated that Ghana’s Supreme Court is quite unique from the Supreme Court in other jurisdictions, adding that the Judiciary is better placed to justify the need for more judges at the apex court.
“What I am aware of is the request from the Chief Justice, and there is no malice in that. The Judiciary is no doubt better placed to provide ample justification for an enhanced Supreme Court, but again it is worthy to note that the Supreme Court of Ghana is quite unique,” Mr. Dame indicated.
He said this in an interview on the sidelines of the United States Independence Day celebration at the Embassy Garden in Accra yesterday.
Mr. Dame’s statement was in response to a press conference organised by the NDC where they claimed the Chief Justice’s request for more judges at the Supreme Court was unconstitutional.
General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, who addressed the press conference said, “this request from the Chief Justice is not only a blatant violation of our Constitution but also a flagrant disregard for the established customs and traditions that guide the nomination of judges to our nation’s highest court.”
He mentioned Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botchwey, the Court of Appeal judge presiding on the €2.37 million ambulance trial involving the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson; Justice Eric Kyei Baffuor, Justice Edward Amoako Asante; and Justice Angelina Mensah Homiah, Justice Cyra Pamela Koranteng, all Justices of the Court of Appeal.
The NDC therefore, called on President Akufo-Addo to immediately stop any plans to appoint additional judges to the Supreme Court.
Again, it demanded that any future appointments to the Supreme Court must strictly follow the constitutional process, including consultation with the Judicial Council and must receive parliamentary approval.
The party also called for the full disclosure of the criteria and process used for the selection of these judges, as it was essential to ensure transparency and accountability.
The NDC also demanded that the Chief Justice retract the “unconstitutional” request to appoint additional judges and ensure that future actions aligned with legal and ethical standards.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak