Parliament approves 3 Supreme Court nominees despite minority boycott

Parliament has approved the nominations of three persons to the Supreme Court despite a boycott of the vetting process by the Minority Caucus.

The nominees are Court of Appeal Justices Sophia Rosetta Bernasko-Essah and Edward Amoako Asante, as well as private legal practitioner Anthony Forson Jnr, a former President of the Ghana Bar Association.

The approval followed the adoption of a report by Parliament’s Appointments Committee recommending all three nominees for appointment to the apex court.

The Minority, led by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, boycotted the vetting, citing concerns over the speed with which the nominations were being processed and what it described as a departure from established parliamentary procedures.

Afenyo-Markin stressed that the Minority’s concerns were not about the qualifications or competence of the nominees but rather the manner and timeframe within which their nominations were being considered.

He questioned the urgency of the appointments, arguing that there was no vacancy on the Supreme Court that required immediate action. He also raised concerns about the shortened period for public scrutiny of the nominees.

Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, however, rejected the Minority’s objections and directed that the vetting proceed.

The Minority subsequently walked out of the committee proceedings, allowing the Majority to continue with the vetting and consideration of the nominees.

The committee later recommended all three nominees for approval, paving the way for their consideration by the full House.

Justice Bernasko-Essah, a Justice of the Court of Appeal, has extensive judicial experience. She was previously nominated for appointment to the Supreme Court in 2024, but the process was not completed before the change of administration.

Justice Amoako Asante, also a Court of Appeal Justice, previously served as President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice before returning to Ghana’s Court of Appeal.

Anthony Forson Jnr, a private legal practitioner and former President of the Ghana Bar Association, brings significant experience from his years in private legal practice.

The parliamentary approval clears the way for the three nominees to complete the remaining constitutional processes for their appointment to Ghana’s Supreme Court.