Anthony Forson Jr., a nominee for Ghana’s Supreme Court bench, has opposed proposals to place a cap on the number of Justices serving on the apex court.
Speaking during his vetting before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Thursday, August 27, 2026, Mr Forson Jr. argued that limiting the number of Supreme Court Justices would be impractical given the court’s extensive constitutional jurisdiction and workload.
Anthony Forson Jr. Rejects Supreme Court Justice Cap
The Supreme Court nominee said Ghana should not impose a fixed limit on the number of Justices unless the country first decides to reduce the jurisdiction assigned to the apex court.
According to him, the previous composition of the Ghana Supreme Court had already demonstrated that the court was struggling to manage its workload.
He explained that the decision to expand the membership of the Supreme Court was based on the need to address the increasing workload facing the apex court.
Mr Forson Jr. therefore said he currently disagrees with proposals to cap the number of Supreme Court Justices.
He was responding to a question from Appointments Committee member Laadi Ayii Ayamba on whether Ghana should place a limit on the number of Justices at the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court Nominee Supports Public Tribunals
The former Ghana Bar Association President also addressed concerns surrounding the establishment of Public Tribunals.
Responding to a question from committee member Bede Ziedeng, Mr Forson Jr. said he had no objection to Public Tribunals because their establishment is provided for under Article 12 of the Constitution of Ghana.
He maintained that as long as Parliament acts within the provisions of the Constitution, he would have no difficulty with the establishment and operation of such tribunals.
Anthony Forson Jr. Addresses Judicial Independence and Conflict of Interest
Mr Forson Jr. was also questioned about how his previous professional relationships, former clients, colleagues at the Bar and cases involving institutions he had dealt with could affect his decisions if appointed to the Supreme Court bench.
He assured the committee that his professional responsibilities would prevent his past relationships from influencing his judicial decisions or creating bias.
However, the experienced lawyer acknowledged that close professional relationships can sometimes unconsciously influence individuals, describing this as part of human nature.
Drawing on his 29 years of legal experience, he said his background in commercial legal practice had shaped his understanding of legal issues but would not compromise his independence as a potential Supreme Court Justice.
He further explained that if a case reached the Supreme Court on appeal and he had previously handled the matter, or an aspect of it, at a lower court, he would recuse himself to avoid a conflict of interest.
Forson Jr. Proposes ICT to Reduce Court Backlog
The Supreme Court nominee also proposed greater use of information and communication technology (ICT) to help Ghana’s judiciary reduce the backlog of cases.
Mr Forson Jr. pointed to his experience supporting the digitalisation of operations during his time at the Ghana Bar Association, arguing that technology could significantly improve the efficiency of the justice system.
He said he would support the Chief Justice in implementing technology-driven solutions to accelerate the disposal of court cases and reduce the judicial backlog.
Afternoon Court Sittings Could Help Clear Backlog
In addition to digitalisation, Mr Forson Jr. advocated afternoon court sittings as another potential solution to Ghana’s growing backlog of cases.
He acknowledged that such a proposal could face resistance from lawyers who may have concerns about working beyond normal court hours, but maintained that reforms are necessary to improve the efficiency of the judiciary.
According to him, ICT remains one of the strongest tools available to Ghana to accelerate court proceedings and improve access to justice.
Appointments Committee Praises Anthony Forson Jr.
The Chairperson of Parliament’s Appointments Committee, Bernard Ahiafor, commended Anthony Forson Jr. for his professionalism and conduct throughout his legal career.
Bernard Ahiafor said the nominee’s constitutional qualifications for appointment as a Supreme Court judge were not in doubt and expressed confidence in his ability to serve on the apex court.
The comments came as Parliament continues the vetting process for nominees being considered for appointment to Ghana’s Supreme Court bench.
Source: newsthemegh.com