Supreme Court Nominee Opposes Capping Justice Numbers

Anthony Forson Jr., a nominee for Ghana's Supreme Court bench, has voiced strong opposition to proposals aimed at capping the number of Justices on the nation's highest court. He contends that such a move is impractical given the Supreme Court's broad constitutional jurisdiction.

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So unless, as a country, we decide to reduce the jurisdictions which have been allocated to the Supreme Court, for now, there should be no cap.

During his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament, Forson Jr. stated, "Unless Ghana decides to reduce the jurisdictions which have been allocated to the Supreme Court, for now, there should be no cap." He explained that the justification for previously expanding the court's membership clearly indicated that the existing composition struggled to manage its workload.

Forson Jr. also addressed concerns regarding the establishment of Public Tribunals. A former President of the Ghana Bar Association, he affirmed that he has no objections to their creation, noting that the Constitution, under Article 12, makes provision for them. He believes that if Parliament is acting in accordance with the law, there is no issue with establishing these tribunals.

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Indeed, if you look at the write-ups on the justification for the expansion of the membership of the Supreme Court, it was clear that the current composition was unable to cope with the workload.

Responding to a question about potential conflicts of interest, Forson Jr. assured the committee that his professional relationships and past dealings would not consciously or unconsciously influence his judicial decisions. He acknowledged that close relationships can subtly affect judgment, a natural aspect of human nature, but stressed that his 29 years of experience have prepared him to remain impartial.

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So if Parliament is following the law, I have absolutely no problem.