The largest opposition party, National Democratic Congress(NDC) has denounced the Chief Justice’s decision to recommend judges for the Supreme Court describing the move as unconstitutional.
Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Torkornoo has recommended five judges for nomination to the Supreme Court to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to handle the overwhelming amount of cases that are currently pending.
Addressing a news conference at the party’s headquarters in Accra on Thursday, General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, said the Chief Justice is not required by the constitution to suggest candidates to the President for appointment to the Supreme Court.
He said the Chief Justice’s letter to President Akufo-Addo had no constitutional foundation and was therefore without effect.
“Nowhere in the constitution is the Chief Justice named as the one to recommend persons to the president for appointment to the Supreme Court. We wish to state, without any equivocation, that the Chief Justice’s letter is illegal and of no effect.
“Her actions have completely turned over due process on its head and compromised her independence as the head of the judicial system. We are concerned about a worrying pattern that irresistibly suggests that the president is only appointing loyal members of his party to this court to have control over the judiciary to escape post-regime accountability,” he stated.
The Chief Justice has recommended the following Judges for appointment to the apex court:
Justice Cyra Pamela Koranteng, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, Justice Afia Serwaa Asare Botchwey, Justice Eric Kyei Baffuour, and Justice Angelina Mensah Homiah.