Parliament approves three Supreme Court nominees

The nominees are Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko-Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, and private legal practitioner Anthony Forson Jnr, a former President of the Ghana Bar Association.

The approval followed the adoption of the Appointments Committee’s report, which recommended all three nominees for appointment to the apex court.

The Minority, led by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, had boycotted the vetting, arguing that the process was being rushed and did not comply with established parliamentary procedures.

Afenyo-Markin said the Minority’s objection was not directed at the qualifications of the nominees but at the manner and timeframe within which their nominations were being considered.

He argued that there was no vacancy on the Supreme Court requiring an urgent appointment and questioned why the usual period for public scrutiny of the nominees had been shortened.

The Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, however, rejected the Minority’s objection and directed that the vetting proceed.

The Minority subsequently walked out of the committee proceedings, leaving the Majority to continue with the vetting and consideration of the nominees.

Despite the boycott, the committee recommended the three nominees for approval, paving the way for their consideration by the full House.

Justice Bernasko-Essah is a Justice of the Court of Appeal and has considerable judicial experience. She was previously nominated for appointment to the Supreme Court in 2024, but the process was not completed before the change of administration.

Justice Amoako Asante, also a Court of Appeal Justice, previously served as President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice before returning to Ghana’s Court of Appeal.

Anthony Forson Jnr, a private legal practitioner and former President of the Ghana Bar Association, brings extensive experience from private legal practice.

The approval clears the way for the three nominees to complete the constitutional process for their appointment to Ghana’s Supreme Court.