Supreme Court nominee Anthony Forson rejects calls to cap number of Justices

Ghana's Supreme Court nominee, Anthony Forson Jnr, has firmly rejected suggestions to impose a fixed cap on the number of Justices serving on the nation's highest court. During his appearance before Parliament's Appointments Committee on Thursday, August 27, 2026, Mr. Forson argued that the expansive constitutional jurisdiction and mounting workload of the Supreme Court make a rigid limit impractical at present.

He stated that before any consideration of limiting the number of Justices, a thorough review of the court's diverse responsibilities must be conducted. Mr. Forson cited a recent constitutional review process in Parliament where Justice Jones Victor Mawulorm Dotse had raised concerns about imposing a ceiling on the court's membership. He expressed concern that reducing the number of Justices while maintaining the court's broad jurisdiction could potentially strain the judiciary and hinder its efficiency in handling cases.

The nominee emphasized that Ghana should first consider reducing the Supreme Court's constitutional jurisdiction before discussing any limitations on its membership. He argued that until the country decides to narrow the court's existing expansive jurisdiction, there should be no cap on the number of Justices.

Mr. Forson also defended the decision to expand the Supreme Court's membership, citing challenges faced by the existing composition in managing the court's workload. He maintained that increasing the number of Justices aimed to strengthen the court's capacity and improve its ability to adjudicate cases efficiently, thus opposing any proposal for a cap on the court's membership.