The nomination of seven justices to the Supreme Court has been opposed by the Minority in Parliament.

The seven justices were appointed by President John Dramani Mahama to aid the operations of the judiciary.

During Parliamentary proceedings on Tuesday, June 24, Ranking Member on the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, acknowledged the competence of the judges but expressed concern about their number.

According to him, giving them the nod will violate the principles of the Constitution and represent an unprecedented event in the country's history.

He added that, “It’s not that the justices are not competent, we do not doubt their competence, but Mr Speaker, it’s flooding the box. This is the first time we are having 7 justices at a time. … This is unprecedented, it has never happened in the country, and this must not be allowed".

So far, Justice Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei, Justice Gbiel Simon Suurbaareh, Justice Senyo Dzamefe, Justice Philip Bright Mensah, Justice Janpere Bartels-Kodwo, Justice Kweku T. Ackaah-Boafo and Justice Hafisata Ameleboba have been vetted.

Their vetting comes after the Speaker of Parliament Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin on May 27 referred the nominees to the Appointments Committee for vetting and subsequent approval.

This is in accordance with Article 144(2) of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which mandates that Supreme Court nominees undergo parliamentary scrutiny before their appointments are confirmed.

About the nominees

Justice Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei – A Court of Appeal judge since 2010, he was elected to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in 2022 for a six-year term. He has served as Director of the Judicial Training Institute and Dean of the Faculty of Law at GIMPA. He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at multiple universities.

Justice Gbiel Simon Suurbaareh – Appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2010, he previously served as the Supervising High Court Judge in the Eastern Region and is known for his expertise in constitutional and administrative law and represents Court of Appeal judges on Ghana’s Judicial Council.

Justice Senyo Dzamefe – A Court of Appeal judge since 2010, he chaired the Dzamefe Commission, which investigated Ghana’s performance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was elected President of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG) in 2018.

Justice Kweku Tawiah Ackah-Boafo - A Court of Appeal judge, has emphasised the need for legal education reforms and has advocated for the integration of artificial intelligence into Ghana’s legal system to enhance efficiency and transparency.

Justice Philip Bright Mensah – Known for his contributions to appellate jurisprudence, he recently presided over a Court of Appeal panel that directed the Accra High Court to adopt proceedings from a previous trial in the Republic vs. Stephen Kwabena Opuni case.

Justice Janpere Bartels-Kodwo – A Court of Appeal judge, he has been nominated to strengthen the Supreme Court’s capacity amid increasing demands on Ghana’s judiciary.

Justice Hafisata Ameleboba – A Court of Appeal judge, she has been involved in key judicial decisions and reforms. Her nomination is expected to bring diversity and expertise to the Supreme Court.