The Minority in Parliament has filed a motion to suspend the vetting of Chief Justice nominee Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, citing ongoing legal cases related to the removal of former Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo. The motion, filed by six Minority MPs, including Kwame Anyimadu Antwi, John Darko, Gloria Owusu, Damata Salam Ama Appianimaa, Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli, and Kwabena Boateng, argues that proceeding with the vetting process would be premature and potentially prejudicial to the outcome of the cases .
Key Demands:
Suspension of Vetting: The Minority wants Parliament to suspend the Appointments Committee’s vetting and any plenary debate or approval processes until all pending suits and applications are resolved.
Attorney-General’s Briefing: They are demanding that the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, appear before Parliament to provide a comprehensive briefing on the status of all litigation related to Justice Torkornoo’s removal.
Clarification on Ghana’s Obligations: The Minority seeks clarification on Ghana’s international obligations under regional treaties relevant to the ECOWAS Court proceedings.
Potential Implications: They want the government to assess the potential legal and constitutional implications of proceeding with the appointment while the cases remain pending .
The vetting of Justice Baffoe-Bonnie is scheduled for November 10, 2025. The Minority’s motion is supported by some, like Dr. John Osae-Kwapong, a Democracy and Development Fellow at CDD-Ghana, who believes that suspending the vetting process would be a prudent decision to avoid prejudicing the outcome of the cases .
