ACCRA, Oct 29 (The African Portal) – Ghana’s opposition lawmakers have called for the suspension of the parliamentary vetting of Chief Justice nominee Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie until a legal challenge over the removal of current Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo is resolved, according to a motion filed in Parliament.
The Minority in Parliament said the ongoing cases before Ghana’s High Court and the ECOWAS Court of Justice could affect the nomination process, and urged Speaker Alban Bagbin to halt all proceedings by the Appointments Committee.
The committee has scheduled Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s vetting for November 10, 2025.
The motion, filed by six opposition MPs — Kwame Anyimadu Antwi, John Darko, Gloria Owusu, Damata Salam Ama Appianimaa, Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli and Kwabena Boateng — cited constitutional provisions and parliamentary standing orders to support their demand.
The lawmakers argued that continuing the vetting while litigation on Justice Torkornoo’s removal is pending could undermine judicial independence and breach constitutional safeguards.
They also requested that Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame be summoned to brief Parliament on the status of all cases concerning Justice Torkornoo’s removal, including proceedings before the ECOWAS Court.
The motion further asked the Attorney-General to provide details of all pending cases, interim orders, reliefs sought, and Ghana’s obligations under regional treaties, as well as the potential constitutional implications of appointing a new Chief Justice before the disputes are resolved.
The government has not yet commented on the Minority’s motion.
