NDC's Roger TD Wills criticises Minority for 'inconsistencies' on the nomination of SC justices

Roger TD Wills, a member of the communications team for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has taken issue with the Minority's stance on the nominations and vetting of three Supreme Court justices. Wills pointed out that when Minority Leader Afenyo-Markin needed the Supreme Court, he convened a hearing on a Friday during judicial vacation and assembled five Justices to hear an urgent application filed by Ofoase Ayirebi Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.

However, when Parliament was recalled and the Appointments Committee was tasked with vetting the justice nominees within the recall period, Afenyo-Markin suddenly claimed that three days was a threat to democracy.

Wills focused on the decision made by the Minority members on the Appointments Committee to boycott proceedings, citing alleged irregular procedures adopted by the Committee leadership. The nominees up for consideration are Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko-Essah (Court of Appeal), Justice Edward Amoako Asante (Court of Appeal and former ECOWAS Court of Justice President), and Anthony Forson Jr. (private legal practitioner and former Ghana Bar Association President).

Afenyo-Markin opposed the committee's adopted procedure, claiming it deviated from the House's orders. He questioned how they could expect to vet Supreme Court judges with only three days' notice, which is in contrast to the standard practice of providing fourteen days' notice and advertising the vetting process in the newspapers.

Afenyo-Markin also referenced concerns raised by then-Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson during a similar situation when short notice was given for vetting Supreme Court nominees. He reiterated that the Minority was not opposed to the nominees themselves but to the procedure they were being subjected to.

Reacting to the situation, Wills noted that the Minority has now discovered the value of patience since they are no longer in government. He pointed out that Afenyo-Markin himself assembled five Justices to hear an urgent application during judicial vacation when needed, but now finds three days' notice threatening to democracy when Parliament is lawfully recalled and the Speaker directs the Appointments Committee to work within the recall period.