The Minority Caucus in Parliament on Thursday walked out of the Appointments Committee’s vetting of three nominees for appointment to the Supreme Court, deepening a standoff over the timetable for considering the nominations.
The walkout followed objections by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who argued that the process was being rushed without enough time for parliamentary scrutiny and public participation.
The nominees are Justice Sophia Rosetta Obuokuwa Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and private legal practitioner Anthony Forson Jnr.
Mr Afenyo-Markin said the Minority was not opposed to the nominees or President John Dramani Mahama’s constitutional power to nominate justices to the apex court.
He said the objection was solely about the decision to complete the process during Parliament’s five-day emergency recall.
The Minority argued that the Supreme Court currently has its full complement of justices and that there was no vacancy requiring urgent appointments.
The caucus also called for more time to allow the public to submit views on the nominees.
“We say no, because the people of Ghana must participate,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said.
He insisted that the Minority’s position was not politically motivated.
“Our stance is not a partisan stance. It is a stance for the people of Ghana,” he said.
The disagreement stalled the vetting as the Minority demanded that the process be deferred for fuller scrutiny.
The Majority, however, has maintained its timetable, with the emergency recall running from Monday, August 24, to Friday, August 28, 2026.
Speaker Alban Bagbin had said the recall was to enable Parliament to deal with urgent government business, including the consideration of the Supreme Court nominees.
The Minority says it is willing to cooperate on the vetting of two ministerial nominees but wants the Supreme Court nominations postponed.
The walkout has now intensified the debate over Parliament’s handling of the judicial appointments and whether the nominations can be processed before the emergency sitting ends.
