Professor Ransford Gyampo has described government’s intention to add more judges to the numbers at the Supreme Court as bogus.
The Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana wants the government to rather address the high cost of living in the country than to prioritize the packing of the apex court with more justices.
According to the Professor, a paint bucket of tomatoes he used to purchase at the market for 30 cedis was subsequently increased till it got to 60 cedis, until he visited the last time when same volume of vegetables were sold to him at 220 cedis.
He says the situation requires urgent attention than the idea of adding more judges to Ghana’s Supreme Court when people cannot feed their homes due to the high food inflation in the country.
“Two paint buckets of tomatoes is GHC440 on the market and you are here talking about packing courts with judges. I used to buy them GHC120. Then I said I will buy plantain, the rotten one, the fingers were like four or six, they said if you don’t have GHC180.00 I’ll not give it to you. Then ‘olonka’ pepper which used to be GHC20 and moved to GHC30 is now GHC70. We are in Ghana, things are so hard, things are so difficult, we are suffering massive food inflation,” he said on the KeyPoints on TV3 Saturday, July 13, 2024.
He continued that, “yesterday I listened to 3News’ Consumer Price Analysis and they argued that in 2021, if you were paid GHC1,000, in 2024 it’s GHC440 and what are we talking about? We are majoring on minor issues. Please the argument to want to pack the courts is bogus. We are interested in what the people of Ghana are saying and not the whimsical and capricious desires of people who are suddenly behaving out of character because of the morbid fear of the persona of Ghana’s political king kong Nana Akufo-Addo.”
Prof. Gyampo’s concerns stem from a request from the Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo to President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to nominate five judges to the Supreme Court of Ghana. This move, she noted, aims to bolster the judiciary with highly qualified and experienced legal minds.
The nominees include Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, who is currently presiding over the controversial ambulance trial involving the Minority Leader in Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
The others are Justice Cyra Pamela Koranteng, Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Justice Angelina Mensah Homiah.
In a letter dated May 30, 2024, Chief Justice Torkornoo outlined the qualifications and current roles of the nominees to President Akufo-Addo.
She highlighted the remarkable tenure of Justice Edward Amoako Asante at the ECOWAS Court of Justice. Justice Asante’s term at the ECOWAS court officially concluded on July 31, 2022. However, due to the geopolitical developments in the region, notably the withdrawal of Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso from the community, he was requested to remain in his post to ensure continuity and stability.
Chief Justice Torkornoo noted that Justice Asante’s extended tenure is set to conclude in 2026, or potentially earlier, at which point he is expected to return to serve within Ghana’s judiciary system.
His anticipated return and subsequent nomination to the Supreme Court are seen as a strategic move to leverage his extensive experience and the insights he has gained from his time at the regional court.
“Justice Asante’s term of office at the ECOWAS court ended on July 31, 2022. He was requested to remain at post on account of the withdrawal of Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso from the community. His current tenure is expected to end in 2026 or earlier when he is expected to return to Ghana’s Judiciary,” she noted.
Gyampo cites divided front of Ghanaian youth for politicians’ failure to address their concerns
