The nomination of Supreme Court Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Ghana’s Chief Justice has been formally forwarded to the Appointments Committee of Parliament for review by Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin.
This comes after Justice Baffoe-Bonnie was nominated by President John Mahama, who made the announcement on Tuesday, September 23. Following the dismissal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, the nomination was made in compliance with Article 144(1) of the 1992 Constitution.
In a succinct statement to Parliament on Tuesday, October 21, the Speaker stated that the House had received official correspondence from the Presidency about the nomination and had sent the subject to the Appointments Committee for additional action in accordance with parliamentary process.
The Supreme Court’s incumbent justice, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, is renowned for his lengthy and illustrious judicial career. Prior to this, he worked at the Court of Appeal and the High Court.
According to the Presidency’s previous announcement, he is a jurist with a “unwavering commitment to justice” whose “invaluable contributions to the development of Ghanaian jurisprudence” make him a suitable candidate for the country’s top judicial position.
A public vetting session is anticipated to be scheduled by the Appointments Committee in the next few days, following which a recommendation will be sent to the entire House for approval or rejection.
If confirmed by Parliament, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie will become Ghana’s next Chief Justice, succeeding Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.