President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has put forth the names of three Court of Appeal Justices to address vacancies in the Supreme Court.
The nominees are Justice Henry Anthony Cofie, Justice Yaw Asare Darko, and Justice Richard Agyei Frimpong.
These nominations come in response to the compulsory retirement of three Supreme Court Justices earlier this year.
Joseph Osei-Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, presided over the house proceedings and referred the appointments to the Appointments Committee for examination and a subsequent report.
In the President’s communication, he stated, “In February, May, and June of this year, three vacancies emerged on the Supreme Court bench due to 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. Traditionally, the Supreme Court bench consists of the Chief Justice and 15 other justices. With these retirements, there are now 13 justices, including Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.”
The most recent appointments to the Supreme Court took place in July 2022, featuring three justices from the Court of Appeal—Justice Barbara Frances Ackah-Yensu, Justice George Kingsley Koomson, and Justice Samuel Kwame Adibu Asiedu—alongside Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu from the High Court. All four nominees successfully underwent vetting and received approval from Parliament.