Former President John Dramani Mahama emphasized that the Constitutional Review Committee recommended capping Ghana’s Supreme Court judges at 15.
He asserted that the decision regarding the number of justices of the apex court is beyond the purview of the Chief Justice.
Mr. Mahama further stated that if elected president again in this year’s elections, his administration would revive the constitutional review process concerning the cap on Supreme Court justices.
He expressed his intention to consult Ghanaians on whether to maintain, reduce, or increase the number to 15.
Mr. Mahama stated that he does not believe it should be the Chief Justice’s role to decide that the number of Supreme Court justices should be increased and capped at 15.
He criticized Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo for recommending that the president appoint five additional justices to the Supreme Court.
The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) highlighted that this approach by the Chief Justice is unusual, as it is typically the president who makes such recommendations based on the advice of the judicial council, before forwarding the names to Parliament for approval or rejection.
Addressing the media in Accra on Sunday, July 7, Mr. Mahama stated, “I do not understand why the Chief Justice would be recommending which judges to appoint.
The constitution clearly states that the president appoints judges with the advice of the judicial council.
The proper procedure is for the president to initiate the appointments, submit them to the judicial council for advice, and then forward them to Parliament. This is the established process.”
