Parliament Approves Nomination of Four Justices of The Supreme Court
20-05-2020Parliament on Wednesday morning unanimously approved the nomination of four persons by His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for appointment to the Supreme Court.
The Appointments Committee, had earlier on Monday May 11th and Tuesday May 12th scrutinized the nominees and later submitted their report to the House on Tuesday May 19 with a recommendation for their endorsement.
The four nominees are Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenuga and Justice Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu both Justices of Appeal Court, who are joined by Mr Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi, a private legal practitioner and Professor Henrietta J.A.N. Mensa-Bonsu, a Professor of Law at the University of Ghana and President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Hon. Joseph Osei-Owusu, Chairman of the Appointments Committee, presenting the Committee’s report before Parliament, said the Committee considered the appointments in the light of the provisions of the 1992 Constitution and Order 74 of the Standing Orders of the House.
He said confidential reports on the nominees from the Ghana Police Service and the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and a Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Tax Status Report, revealed no adverse findings or evidence of corruption, incompetence or bias in the performance of their respective roles in the legal sector brought before the Committee.
The Committee, he declared, was satisfied that the nominees exhibited character and knowledge of the law. Hon. Osei-Owusu added that after a careful examination of their record at the various courts, the Committee was satisfied the four persons were indeed competent and sufficiently trained and knowledgeable in the law to be elevated to the high office of Supreme Court”
The Minority Leader Hon. Haruna Iddrisu who seconded the motion, said the nominees the distinguished themselves during the vetting and also showed how progressive they are with some controversial issues like the death penalty.
He said the answers by nominees concerning the death penalty were very clear and almost synonymous that death penalty should not continue to be on the country’s statute books.
The Tamale South MP noted that the nominees demonstrated their understanding of the law and were also forthright with some of the issues they raised with them.
He stressed that the appointment of Justices to the Supreme Court should come with merit and expressed joy to see them demonstrate merit and competence during the vetting.
Hon. Haruna Iddrisu believed one thing Justices of the Supreme Court should never do is to please appointing authorities and noted that, as important as justice delivery is, if we do not have independent minded Justices of substance and competence at the apex court, there would be chaos in our governance system.
