Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the NDC, stated that despite being willing to overlook Gertrude Araba Torkornoo’s procedural flaws in the entire process, her actions do not serve the country’s interest.
The Chief Justice proposed the appointment of Justices Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, Cyra Pamela Koranteng, Eric Kyei Baffour, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, and Angelina Mensah Homiah, all justices of the Appeal Court, to the Supreme Court.
Reports indicated that the Chief Justice’s letter to the President followed a discussion among Justice Torkornoo, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the Speaker of Parliament, Albert Bagbin, regarding the staffing challenges facing the apex court.
Upon receipt of the letter from the Chief Justice, the President, through his Executive Secretary, Nana Bediatuo Asante, wrote to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, and the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), seeking their input to assist the President in deciding on whether to accept the request from the Chief Justice to nominate five more justices to the Supreme Court.
In response to the Chief Justice’s proposal, Sammy Gyamfi said “What she has done is wrong, it was uncalled for, it is unconstitutional and I think she must eat humble pie, concede this fact, and make amends. But beyond the procedural flaws for me is the whole agenda and intention behind the action.
Speaking on JoyNew, Sammy Gyamfi noted that “If the CJ was only making a proposal or a request to the President to increase the number of justices of the Supreme Court to ensure the speedy determination of matters pending before the court, then, the issue of procedural lapses could have sufficed.
“But here is the CJ going beyond a request to the President for him to increase the number of justices of the Supreme Court which is wrong. She actually goes beyond that to propose specific justices of her choosing that say things the President appoints.”
He added: “The CJ going beyond a request to the president for him to increase the number of justices of the Supreme Court which in itself is wrong. She actually goes beyond that to propose specific justices of her choosing that say things the President appoints.”
However, the Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, insisted that the recommendation is within legal boundaries, emphasising that the Chief Justice has not violated any laws with her proposal.
