The Attorney General has backed the Chief Justice's request for the appointment of five more justices to the Supreme Court.
According to Godfred Dame, the move will minimize delays, reduce unnecessary expenses, and contribute to the overall efficient administration of the apex court.
Mrs Gertrude Torkonoo, the Chief Justice, had in a letter dated May 30, 2024, addressed to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, recommended the appointment of five justices to the Supreme Court.
The judges recommended in the letter are: Justice Angelina Mensah Homiah; Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, Justice Cyra Pamela C.A. Koranteng, and Justice Afia Asare Botwe.
In a letter to the presidency, the AG insisted that "Given the breadth of the multiplicity of jurisdictions of the Supreme Court and the influx of cases at the Supreme Court, the request for the increase in the number of Justices serving on the Supreme Court from the conventional fifteen (in addition to the Chief Justice) to twenty, is not only constitutional but would ensure speedy and effective justice, minimise delays and unnecessary expense and conduce to the general efficient administration of the Supreme Court."
In the statement dated April 29, 2024, AG added that "the performance of the functions of the Supreme Court would, in accordance with the Constitution, require differently constituted panels of the Supreme Court sitting at the same time."
"Understandably, the permutations in the constitution of the panels, almost simultaneously, could be daunting for effective and efficient work in the face of limited number of Justices at the Supreme Court, as the Court is incessantly inundated with cases.
On Thursday, July 4, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) accused President Akufo-Addo and the Chief Justice of colluding to shield current government officials from accountability after their term ends.
The opposition party alleged that the Judicial Council had unanimously resisted moves to elevate five judges to the Supreme Court, only to be covertly overridden by the Chief Justice and the President.
Fifi Kwetey, the NDC’s General Secretary, expressed concern over the nomination of the five new justices, describing it as unjust and calling for the decision to be contested.
He highlighted the need for transparency and fairness in the judicial appointment process, emphasising the party's apprehensions about potential bias.
Sekondi MP and Tourism Minister, Andrew Egyapa Mercer has reiterated that the Chief Justice's request is legitimate and that the established processes can be followed.
He dismissed the concerns raised by the NDC, defending the integrity of the judicial appointment process.
"I hear this talk about the packing of the court and whatnot. This is the politics that is destroying our country. Are we saying that the CJ cannot make such recommendations to the President for appointments to the apex court? I don’t think that this was ill-intentioned. Her letter is just a commencement of the processes and there is nothing wrong with that," he said.
Credit: Kenneth Awotwe Darko