Justice Anin Yeboah nominated as next Chief Justice

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has nominated Justice Anin Yeboah, Justice of the Supreme Court, for approval by Parliament as the next Chief Justice of Ghana in accordance with Article 144(1) of the Constitution.

Justice Anin Yeboah is expected to succeed the current Chief Justice, Justice Sophia Akuffo, who would retire on December 20, 2019, which also marked her 70th birthday.

The First Deputy Speaker, Mr Joseph Osei Owusu, announced the nomination in a letter from President Akufo-Addo to Parliament, in Accra on Thursday.

He stated that to avoid vacuum in the Office of the Chief Justice, following the retirement of Justice Sophia Akuffo, the President decided to initiate the process for the appointment of her successor.

To that end, the letter dated December 2, 2019, pursuant to Article 144(1) of the 1992 Constitution, said the President consulted with the Council of State on his nominee, who had served the Supreme Court for the last eleven years, and five years on the Court of Appeal to succeed the Chief Justice.

He said the Council of State also notified the President by letter under the hand of the Chairperson dated December 11, 2019 of their successful completion of the consultation process.

“Thus in accordance with Article 144(1), I write to inform you that I have nominated Justice Anin Yeboah, Justice of the Supreme Court, for approval by Parliament as the next Chief Justice (CJ) of Ghana and include the copy of his CV for your attention,” President Akufo-Addo, wrote in the correspondence to the House.

“I am fully satisfied that Justice Anin Yeboah is duly qualified and eminently fit to occupy the Office of the Chief Justice.’’

“Mr Speaker, it is my respectful conclusion that the approval by Parliament of Justice Anin Yeboah can proceed expeditiously to enable him to assume office as soon as practicable following the retirement of Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo.”

Source: GNA