Parliament has unanimously approved the appointment of Mr Justice Clemence Honyenuga, a Court of Appeal judge and three others to the Supreme Court bench.
The three others are Mr Justice Issifu Imoro Tanko Amadu, also a judge of the Court of Appeal, Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, a law lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ghana, Legon and President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and Mr Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi, a private legal practitioner.
The recommendation for approval was contained in a report the chairman of the Appointments Committee of Parliament, Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, presented to the House Wednesday.
It had been anticipated that there was going to be a rancorous debate of the committee’s report following Mr Honyenuga’s failure to secure a unanimous approval from the Appointments Committee of Parliament last week when he appeared before it for vetting. The committee voted on a 10-7 approval.
The other three nominees, Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu, Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu and Yonny Kulendi, however, had unanimous approval.
Presenting the report, Joe Osei-Owusu said at the end of two days of vetting, with a minimum of three hours each for the four nominees, the committee concluded that it was satisfied that the nominees exhibited good character and therefore found them suitable for appointment to the Supreme Court of Ghana.
The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu in seconding the motion remarked that the Minority was moved by the apology of Justice Honyenuga in respect of his reported comment that urged support for President Akufo-Addo.
After deliberation on the report, the House unanimously approved the recommendation for the four to be appointed to the Supreme Court bench.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in accordance with Article 144(2) of the 1992 Constitution and on the advice of the Judicial Council and the Council of State, in March 2020 nominated the four for Parliament to vet and recommend their approval for appointment.
They are to replace four justices of the Supreme Court who are proceeding on retirement.
Their approval by Parliament followed a vetting by the Appointment Committee of Parliament.
Story By: Isaac Clottey
