Minority MPs kick against approval of 2 Supreme Court nominees

The Minority in Parliament has opposed the approval of two Supreme Court Justice nominees –Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu and Justice George Kingsley Koomson.

The caucus argued that Justice Gaewu was a parliamentary candidate on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) hence unfit to be on the apex court’s bench.

Former Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Asawase, Muntaka Mubarak suggested that his approval will be “a bad reflection on the House. When you set a bad precedent, tomorrow it becomes the yardstick for others to make this same demand.”

With regard to Mr. George Koomson, the Minority insisted that he “just joined the Court of Appeal,” and that there were other competent and qualified justices that could have been elevated to the Supreme Court instead of him.

Members of Parliament are yet to vote to decide the fate of the Supreme Court nominees after the report of the Appointments Committee was tabled before the House.

The House has suspended sitting for further deliberations. The suspension of sitting is also to do further consultation following the Minority’s decision to reject the approval of new ministers and deputy ministers nominated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Parliament had earlier approved the nominations of Barbara Ackah-Yensu and Samuel Adibu Asiedu as Justices of the Supreme Court.

They were inducted into office in December 2022.

During the swearing-in ceremony, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo urged the Appointments Committee of Parliament to play its patriotic duties by approving Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu and Justice George Kingsley Koomson.

“I perform the most important act of the administration of the third arm of government which is the swearing into Office of two Justices of the Supreme Court and I refer to Justice Frances Barbara Ackah-Yensu and Justice Samuel Kwame Adibo Asiedu who would be appointed to succeed two justices of the Supreme Court; the late Justice Samuel Marful-Sau who passed away on August 10, 2021, and Justice Yaw Apaw who retired on August 2, 2021.”

“I, therefore, await Parliament’s approval of the two remaining nominees; Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu and Justice George Kingsley Koomson to fill the vacancies created as a result of the retirement of Justice Clemence Honyenuga which took place on September 24, 2022, and Justice Agnes Dordzie who retired on October 2, 2022.”