Mahama Aides In ‘Tears’
…Over Court of Appeal Judge Nominees
Special aides to the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, have raised objection to some eight accomplished private legal practitioners and 12 High Court justices President Akufo-Addo, has recommended for consideration as justices for the Court of Appeal.
The latest nominations, which include the current Director of Legal at the National Communications Authority (NCA), Dr Poku Adusei and Director of the Ghana School of Law, Yaw Oppong, is expected to push the number of Court of Appeal judges to a total of about 53, to enhance efficiency.
But the two aides, Joyce Bawa Mogtari and Felix Kwakye Ofosu, appear unenthused about the recommendation, even though the President, has the powers under the 1992 Constitution to make such appointments.
According to them, the move by the president is nothing, but an attempt to pack the courts to allegedly do the bidding of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and government.
Mrs. Mogtari, who herself is a lawyer, claimed that the President, is not only abusing his power, but his discretionary power as well.
In the view of the former Deputy Transport Minister, there is a likelihood that the newly appointed judges, may have no work to do, because of the increasing numbers.
Comparison
Comparing Ghana’s situation to other African neighbors, Mrs. Mogtari, said Ghana’s total number of appeal court judges far outweighed that of its neighbouring Nigeria, which has in all 35 justices for that same department of the court.
“Wait a minute: How can any individual leader, as in Akufo Addo appoint twenty-one (21) ADDITIONAL Court of Appeal judges, bringing the total number of Court of Appeal Judges in Ghana to fifty-one (51)? Most of these judges may have absolutely nothing to do. This constitutes an abuse of presidential power and discretion.
Even in neighbouring Nigeria, they have thirty-five (35) Court of Appeal Judges, five judges for each district. How can Ghana have fifty-one (51) Court of Appeal justices?” she posted on X formerly Twitter and sighted by The Anchor.
Also following the line of the lawyer cum politician is, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a former Deputy Communications Minister, who yesterday said the opposition NDC, would not sit down unconcerned for this “deliberate politicization and destruction” of the judiciary to continue unchecked.
Making his view known on the same X platform, the Abura Asebu Kwamang Kese (AAKK) parliamentary candidate said, the NDC will initiate steps to reform the third arm of government as promised by the former president, if he wins the December 7 general election.
“Akufo-Addo’s brazen and unsophisticated political subjugation of the Judiciary continues unabated with the appointments of rabid NPP partisan, Poku Edusei, and others as Appeals Court judges. This is nothing short of packing the courts to serve the NPP’s interest. The notion that we in the NDC will keep quiet over this deliberate politicization and destruction of the Judiciary and other state institutions is an absurd fantasy.
We will speak and speak and speak, and when voted into power, as promised by @JDMahama, there will be far-reaching reforms to ensure this rapid spiral into chaos is effectively dealt with.”
Precedents
This is not the first time President Akufo-Addo’s appointment of judges, have been received with opposition.
In recent past, some, including members of the NDC and in particular Member of Parliament (MP) for the South Dayi constituency Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor, have challenged the increasing number of appointments to the various courts, especially the Supreme Court.
But others, have argued that the President is within the law to appoint such lawyers as justices, so long as they qualify, as there is no cap.
For some time now, the largest opposition party, has been on the case of the judiciary, questioning some of their actions.
Even though the current concern is not targeted directly at the judiciary, some say it is in line with the party’s reservation it has against the judiciary.
The utterances by the two brings to mind, the NDC’s former national chairman Kwabeba Adjei’s widely condemned remark in 2010, where he served notice the NDC which was in government and was losing controversial political cases, will not shy away from sanitizing the judiciary from bias judgments.
The full list of recommended persons for the Court of Appeal Bench, are as follows:
His Lordship Justin Dorgu
Her Ladyship Gifty Dekyem J
His Lordship Kofi Akowah J.
His Lordship Gyamfi-Danquah J
Her Ladyship Olivia Obeng Owusu J:
Her Ladyship Cecilia Davis J
His Lordship George Krofa Addae J.
His Lordship Alexander Osei Tutu J.
His Lordship Francis Obiri J.
His Lordship Kwasi Boakye J.
Her Ladyship Lydia Osei-Marfo J
His Lordship Aboagye Tandoh J.
Ms. Mariam Agyeman Gyasi Jawhary
Ms. Yaa Onyameye Gyakobo
Mr. Charles Zwennes
Mr Yaw Oppong
Mr Nathan Parker Yarney
Mr David Boafo
Mr. Francis Koffie
Dr. Poku Adusei
Source:Anchorghana.com
