Packing SC: Wood, Akuffo, Bobbey, Afreh others rejected Kufuor’s appointments -Ansah-Asare

Mr. Kwaku Ansa-Asare, a former Director of the Ghana School of Law, commended former Chief Justices Georgina Wood, Sophia Akufo, and Justices Stephen Alan Bobbey and Dickson Kwame Afreh for their integrity in resisting former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s attempts to pack the courts with Supreme Court appointments. He praised their refusal of President Kufuor’s proposal to appoint them over their seniors, deeming such appointments morally questionable. These judges perceived a sense of impropriety in the appointments during Kufuor’s administration.

Mr. Ansa-Asare was part of discussions surrounding the court-packing and highlighted the case of Tsatsu Tsikata versus the Republic. He noted that the justices, supported by Nana Akufo-Addo, viewed their appointments as ethically wrong.

Mr. Ansa-Asare expressed surprise at similar actions taking place under the current presidency of Nana Akufo-Addo. He praised the former Chief Justices while discussing Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo’s letter advocating for the appointment of five more Supreme Court judges, bringing the total to twenty.

He contrasted this with countries like the United States, Canada, and Britain, which have fewer judges on their apex courts. Mr. Ansa-Asare explained the constitutional requirement of no fewer than nine judges on the Supreme Court, with a minimum of ten, and noted that there is no specified maximum number.

Expressing concern, Mr. Ansa-Asare criticized the promotion of judges over their seniors at the Bar, alleging that some have personal connections to the President. He accused the President of disregarding the rule of law and emphasized the importance of public outrage to prevent constitutional operators from taking the citizens for granted.