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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has put forward three Court of Appeal Justices as his nominations to address recent vacancies within the Supreme Court. The nominees in question are Justice Henry Anthony Cofie, Justice Yaw Asare Darko, and Justice Richard Agyei Frimpong. The President’s decision stems from the obligatory retirement of three Justices from the Supreme Court earlier this year.
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, chaired the proceedings in the house, and he referred the nominations of these three Justices to the Appointments Committee for their evaluation and subsequent report.
President Akufo-Addo, in a communication to the Parliament, highlighted the circumstances surrounding these appointments. He stated, “Over the course of the last few months, in February, May, and June, respectively, three vacancies have been created on the Supreme Court bench. By convention, and having regard to its excessive jurisdiction, the Supreme Court bench comprises the Chief Justice and 15 other justices. These vacancies have occurred as a result of the mandatory retirement of Justice Nene Abayeteye Ofoe Amegatcher on February 3, 2023, former Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah on May 24, 2023, and Justice Jones Dotse on June 8, 2023. There are now 13 justices of the Supreme Court, including the Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo.”
It’s worth noting that the most recent appointments to the Supreme Court bench were made in July 2022, where the list included three justices from the Court of Appeal and a Justice from the High Court. The Court of Appeal nominees were Justice Barbara Frances Ackah-Yensu, Justice George Kingsley Koomson, and Justice Samuel Kwame Adibu Asiedu. The High Court was represented by Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu. All four nominees underwent vetting and received approval from Parliament.
