Accra, April 5, GNA – President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has sworn two new justices of the Supreme Court into office and charged them to strengthen the development of Ghana’s constitutional and other jurisprudence at the apex court.
They are Justice George Kingsley Koomson, an Appeal Court Judge, and Justice Ernest Yao Gaewu, a High Court Judge.
Their elevation to the Supreme Court was necessitated by the vacancies created by the retirements of Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenuga and Justice Agnes Mercy Abla Dordzie last September and October respectively.
The nomination of the two judges was approved last month by the legislature, after a rigorous vetting and confirmation process by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
At a short ceremony at the Jubilee House, Accra, on Tuesday, where the two took the Allegiance, Judicial and Secrecy oaths, the President congratulated them on their appointments and said they deserved and merited the elevation.
He exhorted them to bear in mind that the growth of the nation demanded that “we have a Judiciary that commands the respect of the people by the quality of its delivery of justice, as well as by the comportment of its Judges.”
“Application of the laws of the land must occur, in the words of the Judicial Oath, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will, and, therefore, without recourse to the political, religious or ethnic affiliations of any citizen of the land, or of any person before you.
President Akufo-Addo stressed that when a person fell afoul of the law, society expects that the person would be dealt with accordingly, and law enforcement agencies, including the Supreme Court, must ensure that this was done.
“This is the true meaning of the concept of equality before the law and I am confident that you would uphold it,” he told the judges.
With all other courts bound to follow the decisions of the Supreme Court on questions of law, the President emphasized that it was critical for justices of the highest court of the land to possess “sound knowledge of the law and of precedent.”
He said the constitution had positioned the Supreme Court as the policy court where far-reaching decisions of the country’s socio-economic development are fashioned in response to the exigencies of the times.
Thus, the perspective of the judges of the Supreme Court, he said, was critical for national development, especially in the present challenging economic circumstance of the country.
Justice Koomson expressed gratitude to the President for the trust reposed in them and pledged that they would uphold the constitution of Ghana.
He gave the assurance that they would continue to serve with respect, dignity and honesty and that they would protect the fundamental human rights of the people.
“We are committed to serving with professionalism and impartiality. We recognize the enormous nature of the work and the responsibility that comes with the position… We, however, promise to give decisions that are just, fair and in accordance with the law,” he said.
GNA