Omanghana
President John Dramani Mahama has sworn in three new justices of Ghana’s Supreme Court, increasing the number of judges serving on the country’s highest court to 17.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Jubilee House in Accra, where the new justices took the required oaths before formally assuming their responsibilities on the apex court.
The three appointees are Justice Sophia Rosetta Oduokunwa Bernasko-Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Justice Anthony Forson Jnr.
Justice Bernasko-Essah joins the Supreme Court after serving as a judge of the Court of Appeal. She brings extensive judicial experience acquired through years of service within Ghana’s court system.
Justice Amoako Asante also previously served on the Court of Appeal and was President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice. His experience covers both Ghanaian jurisprudence and the regional legal framework governing the Economic Community of West African States.
Justice Forson, meanwhile, makes the transition from private legal practice to the bench. He is a former President of the Ghana Bar Association and has practiced law for several years.
Addressing the new justices, President Mahama emphasized the importance of judicial independence, impartiality and respect for the rule of law.
He stated that the authority of the Supreme Court is sustained by public confidence rather than political influence, urging the appointees to approach every case independently and decide matters strictly according to the Constitution, available evidence and applicable laws.
The President reminded them that their decisions would have far-reaching consequences for citizens, public institutions and Ghana’s democratic development.
He described the oath taken by the justices as “consequential, not ceremonial,” stressing that it placed a serious responsibility on them to protect individual rights and defend the 1992 Constitution without fear or favour.
President Mahama also addressed Justice Forson’s move from legal advocacy to judicial service. He explained that while a lawyer is expected to advance the interests of a client, a judge must remain above competing arguments and reach decisions solely on the facts, evidence and law.
He urged all three appointees to demonstrate integrity, courage and fairness while remaining conscious of the Supreme Court’s role as the final judicial authority in the country.
The addition of the three justices expands the court’s capacity to hear constitutional, civil and criminal matters, including appeals from lower courts and cases involving the interpretation and enforcement of the Constitution.
Their appointments followed the required constitutional processes, including nomination, parliamentary consideration and approval.
The ceremony marked the formal beginning of their service on the Supreme Court and added their combined experience in domestic law, regional jurisprudence and private legal practice to Ghana’s highest judicial body.
Source: Omanghana
