Scared Akufo Addo is tightening his defense by appointing more High Court judges

More high court judges have likely been appointed by President Nana Akufo Addo than by any other president in Ghana's political history. The president began appointing judges to the high court in 2018, and he has already chosen new judges this month. Why is Akufo Addo acting in this way?

Samuel Marful-Sau and Agnes Dordzie, two judges, were chosen by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to serve as Supreme Court Justices in 2018, shortly after Charlotte Osei had been fired from her position as Electoral Commissioner. These judges actually played a role in the EC boss’ dismissal.

Later, President Nana Akufo Addo submitted the names of two additional Supreme Court nominees to Parliament for approval: Professor Nii Ashie Kotey, a former dean of the University of Ghana's faculty of law, and Nene A.O. Amegatcher, a private attorney and a former president of the Ghana Bar Association.

President Nana Akufo-Addo named three judges to the Supreme Court in November 2019 with the consent of Parliament. The three judges, Justices Mariama Owusu, Lovelace Johnson, and Gertrude Tokornoo, were promoted from the Court of Appeal to the bench of the Supreme Court.

They have been chosen to take the place of three judges, Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo, Justice Vida Akoto-Bamfo, and Justice Sophia Adinyira, who have retired or will retire before the end of the year. In December 2019, Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo stepped down.

To replace three vacancies on the Supreme Court, President Akufo-Addo swore in Justices Mariama Owusu, Avril Lovelace-Johnson, and Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo in December 2019.

President Akufo-Addo once more appointed Justice Clemence J. Honyenuga, a Court of Appeal judge, to the Supreme Court's bench in March 2020. In violation of the Judicial Code of Conduct, Justice Honyenuga was named for praising the President and calling for him to serve a second term.

On July 19, 2022, President Nana Akufo-Addo swore in 10 new justices to the High Court, directing them to administer justice without regard to personal gain, favoritism, or malice. Who is the president trying to deceive when everyone in Ghana is aware that judges nominated by Akufo Addo solely work for him?

The skeletons have begun to emerge from the cupboard, and Akufo Addo is now afraid of his own shadow. The president is strengthening his defense in order to escape going to jail since he is aware that the NPP government would fall from power and his corruptible dealings will be revealed.

In addition to installing his relative Ken Ofori-Atta as finance minister, the president also likes to appoint high court justices to the Supreme Court so that they can serve as a form of protection for him. Unfortunately, that won't work because the next administration that replaces the NPP will remove all of the chosen judges and ensure that every corrupt NPP politician is sent behind bars. That is how a successful nation is built.