President John Dramani Mahama has sworn in three new Justices of the Supreme Court, increasing the number of judges on Ghana’s highest court to 17.
The newly appointed Justices are Sophia Rosetta Oduokunwa Bernasco-Essa, a former Court of Appeal Judge; Edward Amoako Asante, former President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice; and Anthony Forson Jr., a private legal practitioner and former President of the Ghana Bar Association.
At the swearing-in ceremony, President Mahama charged the new Justices to uphold integrity, sound judgment, intellectual courage and an unwavering commitment to justice in the discharge of their duties.
He said the legitimacy of the judiciary depends largely on the confidence Ghanaians have in the courts and urged the new judges to protect that confidence by deciding cases fairly, impartially and strictly in accordance with the law.
President Mahama particularly stressed the importance of judicial independence, describing it as a safeguard for citizens rather than a privilege for judges.
He said that independence becomes especially important when the courts are called upon to determine difficult, unpopular or politically sensitive cases.
The President therefore urged the three Justices to remain committed to the Constitution and the law in their work, regardless of the circumstances surrounding cases before them.
The appointments add to the complement of Ghana’s highest court as the judiciary continues to handle constitutional, political and other cases of national significance.
