Parliament approves Akufo-Addo’s nominees to Supreme Court in tight, tense vote

Two nominees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo have been approved by Parliament as Justices of the Supreme Court of Ghana in a tense vote on late Friday, March 24.

The two new Justices are George Kingsley Koomson and Justice Ernest Yaw Gyau, who had been vetted weeks back by the Appointments Committee but whose approvals were referred to the Committee of the Whole because of stated rejection by the Minority.

At the end of the voting, the results were as follows:

George Kingsley Koomson

YES = 139
NO = 133
REJECTED BALLOTS = 0
ABSTENTION = 0

Justice Ernest Yaw Gyau

YES = 138
NO = 134
REJECTED BALLOTS = 0
ABSTENTION = 0

The voting was conducted during an extended sitting of the House that saw speaker Alban Bagbin yield his seat to his two deputies to undertake the process which was marked by tensions given that the Minority had openly vowed to oppose the nominees.

“Hon Members, with this, this House has accordingly approved the nomination of His Excellency, the president of the following persons as Justices of the Supreme Court in accordance with Article 144 (2) of the 1992 Constitution:

“Justice George Kingsley Kingsley Koomson and Justice Ernest Yaw Gyau. On behalf of the House, let me congratulate the two nominees of the president into the Supreme Court of Ghana,” the second deputy speaker declared after announcing the results.

The House also approved the nomination of six ministerial nominees of the president despite the Minority’s vow to reject all nominations in the light of bloated size of government amid an economic downturn.



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