Parliament has given the nod to the appointment of three persons to the Supreme Court bench, overriding a boycott of the vetting proceedings by the Minority Caucus.
The successful candidates comprise Court of Appeal judges Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko-Essah and Justice Edward Amoako Asante, alongside former Ghana Bar Association President Anthony Forson Jnr.
Their confirmation follows the House’s adoption of the Appointments Committee report, which endorsed all three candidates for elevated positions at the apex court.
Led by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the Minority abandoned the committee hearings, contending that the exercise had been fast-tracked in breach of standard parliamentary protocol.
The Minority Leader clarified that the caucus was not questioning the competence of the individuals, but rather taking issue with the compressed timetable.
He maintained that no immediate vacancies existed on the Supreme Court bench to warrant a hasty procedure, while also raising concerns over the shortened window allotted for public scrutiny.
However, Appointments Committee Chairman Bernard Ahiafor dismissed the Minority’s procedural challenge and instructed the panel to press ahead.
This prompted the Minority members to stage a walkout, allowing the Majority to carry out the vetting.
Following the vetting, the committee unanimously recommended the trio for confirmation by the full House.
Justice Bernasko-Essah has been elevated from the Court of Appeal.
She had initially been nominated to the highest court in 2024, though that confirmation process lapsed prior to the change of government.
Justice Amoako Asante similarly serves on the Court of Appeal bench, having previously completed a tenure as President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice.
Anthony Forson Jnr is a private legal practitioner with decades of experience in active practice alongside his former leadership of the bar.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
