Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has called for legislation to set a cap on the number of justices serving on Ghana's Supreme Court.

Currently, the country's constitution stipulates nine judges for the Supreme Court but does not establish an upper limit.

Speaker Bagbin's advocacy comes in the wake of President Nana Akufo-Addo's recent nomination of two new justices to the Supreme Court to replace the retiring justices.

The nominees are Justice Sophia Rosseta Bernasko Essah and Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong, intended to fill the vacancies left by the retirement of Justice Nii Ashie Kotey and the upcoming retirement of Justice Mariama Owusu.

Addressing the House, Speaker Bagbin emphasized the need for a defined upper limit on the number of Supreme Court justices.

"We’re being called through this letter as a House to look into the issue of a full complement of the Supreme Court, should it be 13, 15, 20, 40, or 100. It’s for this House to decide," he stated.

He urged Parliament to consider legislative reforms to establish this upper limit, taking into account the needs of a country with a population of 33 million people.

The Speaker's recommendation follows President Akufo-Addo's transmission of the nominations to Parliament, which Speaker Bagbin subsequently referred to the Appointments Committee for review and feedback.

This development is part of broader discussions about the composition of Ghana's judiciary. Recently, the Chief Justice recommended five judges to President Akufo-Addo for consideration for the Supreme Court.

Among the recommended judges is Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botwe, who is currently presiding over the high-profile ambulance procurement trial. Other nominees include Justice Cyra Pamela Koranteng, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, Justice Eric Kyei Baffuour, and Justice Angelina Mensah Homiah.

The Chief Justice's recommendations have sparked significant debate and criticism, particularly from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and various organizations.