The Chief Justice, Pual Baffoe-Bonnie, has nominated Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang to act in his absence from duty with effect from 12th November, 2026.
This is contained in a circular sighted by 3news dated 11th November, 2026.
“I shall be away from the jurisdiction from Thursday, 12th November 2026 to Tuesday, 24th November 2026. I shall resume duty on Wednesday, 25th November 2026.
In my absence, His Lordship Justice Gabriel Pwamang, the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, will act,” the circular read in part.
The notice was distributed to all Justices of the Supreme Court, all Justices of the Court of Appeal, all Justices of the High Court, all Circuit Court Judges and Magistrates, all Directors and Heads of Units, and all Registrars of Courts.
Copies were also sent to members of the Judicial Council, members of the General Legal Council, and the Judicial Secretary.
Background
The arrangement is in line with established practice within the Judiciary, where the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court acts as Chief Justice when the substantive Chief Justice is unavailable, to ensure continuity in the administration of justice and the day-to-day running of the Judicial Service.
Justice Pwamang, as Acting Chief Justice, will therefore oversee the affairs of the Judiciary for the period, including administrative duties of the Office of the Chief Justice, until Justice Baffoe-Bonnie returns.
The Chief Justice’s office is the head of the Judiciary and is responsible for the administration and supervision of all courts in Ghana.
It is widely expected by industry watchers that he will be appointed as Chief Justice when the incumbent retires. However, there are other contenders for the role.
Profile of Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang
Gabriel Scott Pwamang is a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana, appointed in 2015 after more than a quarter of a century in private practice.
He was born on 17 August 1960. He went to Nandom Secondary School, graduated from the University of Ghana in 1986 and was called to the bar in 1988.
He founded Pwamang and Associates, working mainly in land and natural resources, human rights and criminal law, and chaired the board of the Centre for Public Interest Law.
From 2010 to 2011 he was a member of the Constitution Review Commission and sat on the committee that drafted its proposed amendment bills.
Before the bench he was in opposition politics. He served as Deputy General Secretary and then General Secretary of the People’s National Convention between 1998 and 2007, and stood for the party in Navrongo Central in 2004, 2008 and 2012 without winning.
President Mahama nominated him to the Supreme Court in 2015.
With more than eleven years on the apex court, Pwamang has accumulated substantial experience in the Supreme Court’s constitutional and appellate work.
His judicial independence and reasoning can be examined through identifiable opinions, including his dissent in the January 2026 Kpandai parliamentary election dispute.
While the majority quashed a High Court judgment invalidating the election of Matthew Nyindam, Pwamang questioned whether the Supreme Court should exercise its discretionary powers in the circumstances.
He also chaired the Article 146 committee that investigated petitions concerning the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
