The Minority in Parliament has opposed the approval of two Supreme Court Justice nominees; Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu and Justice George Kingsley Koomson.
The minority 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 currently on the process of voting to decide the fate of the Supreme Court nominees, after the report of the Appointments Committee was tabled before the House.
The House suspended sitting for some minutes as further deliberations were made, 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 and 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 also.
“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.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
We Want Voting On Ministerial Nominees Done Today
The Minority caucus in Parliament insists on completing the voting on President Nana Akufo-Addo’s ministerial nominees today, after the exercise was suspended.
There was chaos in Parliament after the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, suspended sitting due to the failure of both sides to agree on how to vote for the approval of two Supreme Court Justices and Ministers and deputy ministers, nominated by President Akufo-Addo.
Speaking after the sitting was suspended, the Minority Leader, Dr. Ato Forson, insisted that they will not have the voting any other day than today.
“We want the voting today, Friday, March 24, 2023, and not any other day. We urge those on the Majority side to return to Parliament immediately, so we vote. We are ready with all our MPs and want the voting right away.”
Dr. Ato Forson
Prior to the vetting of the newly nominated ministers on Monday, February 20, 2023, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) directed the Minority caucus not to approve them, describing their appointments as an insensitive move that would increase the government’s expenditure in the midst of an economic mess.
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