Comparing Supreme Court Appointments: Presidents Akufo-Addo, Mahama, and Their Predecessors

Former President John Dramani Mahama stirred controversy over the weekend as he voiced his concerns regarding the judicial branch of the government.

The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2024 elections accused President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of strategically appointing judges with affiliations to his party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), allegedly to evade accountability in case of a regime change.

Addressing the closing session of the 3rd Lawyers Conference organized by the NDC Lawyers Association in Akosombo, Mahama expressed his reservations, stating,

“He’s packed the court, and we know that they’ve packed the court because they want to avoid accountability after they have left office. So, all manner of people who have been known to be partisan, to have been executives of their party who are in the legal profession have been leapfrogged onto the Superior courts and other places.”

These remarks by Mahama have ignited discussions among Ghanaians, both on social media and in traditional media outlets.

Nana Addo and Ex-President Mahama

One point of contention revolves around the number of judicial appointments made by President Akufo-Addo in comparison to his predecessors in the 4th Republic of Ghana. Particularly, Mahama alluded to the Supreme Court, suggesting that Akufo-Addo has filled it with NPP loyalists.

To provide some context, during the 4th Republic:

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Jerry John Rawlings, the first president, made 11 appointments to the Supreme Court.
John Agyekum Kufuor, his successor, appointed 17 judges over his 8-year tenure.
The late former President, John Evans Atta Mills, appointed 3 judges to the Supreme Court.
Former President Mahama appointed 4 justices during his time in office.
The current President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has made 15 appointments to the Supreme Court of Ghana.
These statistics provide a basis for evaluating the claims made by Mahama and the context surrounding the composition of the judiciary under different administrations in the 4th Republic of Ghana.

Below is a list of justices of the Supreme Court appointed by the various presidents in the 4th Republic: Source:NPP/NDC.com