The Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has said it is for the House to decide on the number of justices of the Supreme Court that Ghana needs.
Alban Bagbin said this in Parliament on Monday, July 22 while making a referral of nominees to the Supreme Court.
“And so, 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.
“I’m urging you to look at this issue, given the provision reforms or to pass legislation and to give an Upper limit as to how many can be at the Supreme Court of a country of 33 million people.”
President Akufo-Addo had nominated two new Judges to the Supreme Court to replace two other retiring Judges.
Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo recently faced criticisms for the recommendation that she made to the president to appoint five additional justices of the Supreme Court.
The recommendation by the Chief Justice has raised concerns among some lawyers and analysts including a Private legal Practitioner Martin Kpebu.
Capping the number of Supreme Court justices is not for the Chief Justice to say – Mahama
Mr Kpebu said that the concerns are not about the competence of the names that have come up.
He says the concerns are about the timing and the procedure for the appointments. For the president to appoint Supreme Court justices there has to be a recommendation from the Judicial Council to that effect, Kpebu said.
Without a recommendation from the Judicial Council, the president cannot proceed with the process of appointing new justices of the apex court, he added.
Kpebu said on the Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, July 6 that “There must be a recommendation from the Judicial Council…If the president has not received advice from the judicial council he cannot start.”
He added “But that the nominees are not bad, it is the timing that is bad. These are fine justices but it is about procedure and timing, this debate is not about competence at all.”
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General, Godfred Dame, said it is worthy to note that the Supreme Court of Ghana is quite unique and different from other Supreme Courts around the world.
Godfred Dame said this while rejecting claims that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is packing the Supreme Court following the recent request by the Chief Justice to appoint five more justices of the apex court.
“What I am aware of is the request from Chief Justice, I believe that the Judiciary is no doubt better placed to provide ample justification for the need for an enhanced Supreme Court, but again it is worthy to note that the Supreme Court of Ghana is quite unique and different from other Supreme Courts around the world,” he said in an interview on the sidelines of the United States Independence Day Event at the Embassy Garden in Accra.
So it is not the case that you are packing the court? he was asked.
In answer, Godfred Dame said, “Definitely not so what is this allegation about packing the court.”
The post It’s for the House to decide – Speaker Bagbin on number of Supreme Court justices Ghana needs first appeared on 3News.
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