Vetting of Justice Sophia Akuffo to be done on Friday

pulse-ghana admin

June 14, 2017 12:06 PM

Parliament has moved the date for vetting Chief Justice Nominee, Justice Sophia Akuffo from its previous date, Monday, June 19, 2017, to Friday, June 16.

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The Parliament of Ghana has moved the date for vetting Chief Justice nominee, Justice Sophia Akuffo from its previous date, Monday, June 19, 2017, to an earlier date, Friday, June 16, 2017.

This was announced by the Chairman of the Appointments Committee, Joseph Osei-Owusu on Tuesday at a press briefing in Accra. According to Joewus, the committee had decided it was expedient to bring the date after considering certain factors.

He revealed that a vacancy exists as retired Chief Justice Wood has already been appointed to the Council of State.

He also disclosed that the decision was reached after a consensus by both sides to close the 14-day interval for receiving complaints and questions on the nominee since there was no petition against Madam Akuffo.

Members of the Committee are currently going through the Justice Akuffo’s past judgment as well other publications to be able to assess her performance at Ghana’s highest court.

Justice Sophia Akuffo was appointed by President Nana Akuffo-Addo as Ghana’s second female Chief Justice in replacement of Justice Georgina Theodora Wood who went on retirement last Wednesday after 47 years of public service.

Per the 1992 constitution, a nominee to the position of Chief Justice must be vetted by the Appointments Committee followed by approval by two-thirds of the majority in parliament.

This is the second time Justice Akuffo will be holding the position of Chief Justice as she held a similar position in The Gambia under its former leader, Yahya Jammeh.

She is a Harvard-trained lawyer with vast experience in the legal terrain. She was elected one of the first judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights in 2006 and was re-elected to serve another term.

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