Justice Hafisata Amaleboba, a nominee for the Supreme Court, has supported plans to cap the number of justices on the court’s bench but has issued a warning that such a move should come after changes to solve the judiciary’s operational issues.
On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, she said this while being vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
During the screening, Justice Amaleboba responded to a query, saying, “I support capping the number of Supreme Court judges, but we should not rush to do so until we address the challenges facing the Supreme Court, such as case backlogs and its various jurisdictions.”
She asserts that setting a cap too soon without addressing the court’s expanding workload and overlapping jurisdictions may lead to further issues down the road.
“Prematurely capping the number could necessitate frequent constitutional amendments if increases are justified. Once these issues are resolved, we can better assess annual caseloads and establish a reasonable cap,” she reiterated.
There are presently 13 justices on Ghana’s Supreme Court. The number will increase to 20 if Justice Amaleboba and the other seven nominees are accepted.
This possibility has sparked discussion among legal experts and inside Parliament over how it would affect the court’s efficacy and public trust.
Dr. Amaleboba also discussed the duties of judges with traditional titles, emphasizing the need for caution when speaking in public.
“As a judge and a chief, one must be measured in political commentary, especially in supporting one group over another, Judges should exercise restraint in their language to maintain neutrality,” she said.
She clarified during the screening process that child maintenance is already permitted by Ghana’s Matrimonial Causes Act.
“In Ghana, we already have provisions for child support, referred to as maintenance,” she said. “Under the law, one can apply for maintenance without seeking divorce.”
She further mentioned that before a court ruling is rendered, the Department of Social Welfare performs an initial evaluation as the first step in the adoption procedure.
She pointed out that in order to better handle these applications, a Central Adoption Authority has recently been created.
In the upcoming days, the Appointments Committee is anticipated to finish screening each nominee before submitting its recommendations to Parliament.
Source: newsthemegh.com