The Member of Parliament for Okaikoi Central, Hon. Patrick Yaw Boamah, has reaffirmed the Minority Caucus’s commitment to cooperation, dispelling any suggestions of a boycott or procedural disruptions of the Appointments Committee.
According to him, the Caucus respects the justices—having practiced before them—and will therefore ensure a smooth vetting process.
Parliament on Monday commenced the vetting of seven Supreme Court nominees put forward by President John Dramani Mahama, with the lawmaker emphasizing the importance of upholding constitutional integrity and judicial capacity.
The nominees facing vetting are:
* Justice Senyo Dzamefe
* Justice Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei
* Justice Gbiel Simon Suurbaareh
* Justice Philip Bright Mensah
* Justice Janapare Adzua Bartels-Kodwo
* Justice Hafisata Amaleboba
* Justice Kweku Tawiah Ackaah-Boafo
The Appointments Committee convened early Monday morning, with proceedings expected to last throughout the day as the first three nominees take their turns.
Hon. Boamah, a key member of the Appointments Committee, underscored the need to base the national conversation around the functional demands placed on the judiciary, rather than political speculation over the number of justices appointed.
“At the time three or four justices were nominated by the previous administration, some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) raised questions. But every nomination has a reason — retirement, resignation, or even unfortunate events like death.”
He noted that the Supreme Court handles much more than constitutional interpretation, listing various jurisdictions such as Human rights enforcement; Interlocutory and appellate proceedings; Chieftaincy disputes from the National House of Chiefs, and Election petitions
“Can 13 or 14 justices handle all of that?” he asked, stressing the need to look at capacity, not politics.
The MP also drew attention to instances where justices are pulled from regular sittings to serve on electoral panels or commissions of inquiry, reducing the effective bench size and increasing pressure on the remaining justices.
“Let’s not politicize the numbers on the court. Let’s look at the workload. The Chief Justice at a point even made a formal application to the President to increase the numbers to deal with the growing caseload,” he urged.
Following the three-day vetting, the Appointments Committee will submit a report to the plenary for consideration. Parliament will then vote to approve or reject the President’s nominees based on the committee’s findings.
