Minority boycotts vetting of Supreme Court nominees over timing concerns

The New Patriotic Party's Minority Caucus in Parliament opted out of the vetting process for three Supreme Court nominees on Thursday, raising concerns about the accelerated timeline for the proceedings. The Minority contended that the court was not currently vacant and questioned the rapid pace at which the nominations were being assessed.

During a session at Parliament House, the Minority Leader, Mr Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, emphasized that the objection was not towards the nominees, but rather the process and schedule. He challenged the Majority to demonstrate the consequences of delaying the process on the State, the Judiciary, or litigants. The Minority leader suggested that if the Majority desired following the precedent, they should suspend the current session, publish an advert as requested during the opposition period, and wait for the mandated 14 days.

The Minority's stance was to maintain parliamentary protocols and constitutional requirements, not to hinder the committee's work or hurt the nominees. However, Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Mr Bernard Ahiafor, dismissed the Minority's objections as "flimsy," "hollow," and "baseless." He maintained that any dissatisfaction with the House's decision should be addressed through mechanisms outlined in the Parliament's Standing Orders.

Mr Ahiafor also rejected calls for a distinct standard in the review of Supreme Court nominees. After the Chairman's decision, the Minority members, including Mr Afenyo-Markin, withdrew from the vetting session. The nominees before the Committee are Justice Sophia Bernasko-Essah, a Court of Appeal judge; Justice Edward Amoako Asante, a former ECOWAS Court of Justice president; and Mr Anthony Forson Jr., a private legal practitioner and former President of the Ghana Bar Association.