The Minority in Parliament has demanded the deferment of the vetting of three Supreme Court nominees, arguing that there is no urgent vacancy on the bench to justify the process being rushed.

The three nominees are Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, and private legal practitioner Anthony Forson Jnr.

Speaking ahead of the vetting on Thursday, August 27, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said the Supreme Court is currently operating with its full complement of justices and continues to hear cases and deliver judgments.

He argued that there was therefore no urgency requiring the three nominees to be vetted and approved before Parliament’s recall ends on Friday, August 28.

“The Right Honourable Speaker referred five names to the Appointments Committee. Two nominees for ministerial office, three nominees for the Supreme Court of Ghana. That referral came on the very first day of this House, of this emergency recall,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said.

According to Mr Afenyo-Markin, the Majority’s push to have all five nominees vetted, reported on, and approved before Parliament rises on Friday is what the Minority is opposing.

“The recall ends tomorrow, Friday. The majority now want all five nominees vetted, reporting on, and approved before the House rises. We say no, and we say it with the Constitution and our own Standing Orders in our hands,” he said.

Minority cites public participation

Mr Afenyo-Markin said the minority's position was based on what it described as the need to allow Ghanaians to participate in the process of appointing Supreme Court judges.

“We say no, because the people of Ghana must participate in the process,” he said.

He added that the minority's position was not motivated by partisan considerations but by what it considered to be the interests of the Ghanaian public.

“We say no, because as a minority, we are here to fight for the interests of the Ghanaian people,” he said. “Our stance is not a partisan stance. It is a stance for the people of Ghana.”

Mr Afenyo-Markin maintained that the minority was prepared to cooperate with the government on the vetting of the two ministerial nominees.

Minority ready to vet two Ministers

He said the minority had no objection to the vetting of Mahama Ayariga, the member of Parliament for Bawku Central, who has been nominated as minister-designate for local government, chieftaincy, and religious affairs and the member of Parliament for Korle Klottey, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, who has been nominated as minister-designate for environment, science, and technology.

“My dear members of the media, on the two ministerial nominees, we are ready to engage,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said.

He said the two ministries required political appointees to supervise their operations and ensure government business continued.

“Those ministries would need a political appointee to supervise and ensure government business goes on,” he said.

Mr Afenyo-Markin stressed that the minority was not seeking to delay the appointment of the two ministers.

“We are not here to stampede that process. Therefore, we believe that because of their own standing in the House, we can take them today,” he said.