President Akufo-Addo has put forward two new nominees for the Supreme Court bench following their endorsement by the Judicial Council.
The nominees are Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong, a distinguished legal academic and fellow of the Ghana Academy of Sciences, and Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah, a justice of the Court of Appeal.
President Akufo-Addo announced that these nominees are to undergo vetting by Parliament as stipulated by the constitution.
Upon approval, Prof. Frimpong Oppong will join Prof. Henrietta Mensah-Bonsu as one of the legal academics on Ghana’s Supreme Court.
Justice Bernasko Essah, with her extensive experience as a State Attorney, private legal practitioner, and Justice of the High Court and Court of Appeal, will bring significant expertise to the Supreme Court.
These nominations follow a recent request from Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo to President Akufo-Addo, urging him to nominate five judges to the Supreme Court to manage the high volume of cases.
The Chief Justice recommended Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe, who is currently handling the Ato Forson ambulance procurement trial, along with four other judges: Justice Cyra Pamela Koranteng, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, Justice Eric Kyei Baffuour, and Justice Angelina Mensah Homiah.
This procedure faced criticism from various groups and individuals, especially from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), with some demanding the Chief Justice’s resignation.
However, the President’s latest nominations did not include the names suggested by the Chief Justice, leading to speculation about whether those recommendations were rejected or are still under consideration.
If Parliament approves the two new nominees, the number of justices on the Supreme Court will rise to 17.