Ghana president nominates three Supreme Court justices

President Mahama has nominated two Court of Appeal judges and a former Bar Association president for Ghana’s Supreme Court.

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has nominated three legal professionals for appointment to the Supreme Court. The nominees are Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and private legal practitioner Tony Forson. The nominations were made in consultation with the Judicial Council, as required by the 1992 Constitution. They now require parliamentary approval.

Justice Amoako Asante previously served as President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice. Justice Bernasko Essah has extensive experience on the Court of Appeal. Tony Forson is a former president of the Ghana Bar Association. The three nominees will appear before Parliament’s Appointments Committee for vetting. If approved, they will increase the number of Supreme Court justices from 18 to 21. The expansion will enhance the court’s capacity to handle constitutional and appellate cases.

Ghana’s judicial appointments process is notably less contentious than Nigeria’s. The Supreme Court is seen as a professional body, not a political battlefield. The expansion of the court is a technical measure, not a political power play. Nigeria’s judiciary could learn from this example. But the comparison is also a reminder of what Nigeria lacks: a judicial system that is respected, independent and functional.

Winners: The nominees, the Ghanaian judiciary, the Ghanaian people.

Losers: No clear losers in this case — a rare outcome in West African politics.

Bottom Line: Ghana’s Supreme Court appointments are a model of judicial professionalism that Nigeria would do well to study.