News:
August 27, 2026
Parliament’s Appointments Committee descends into chaos as Minority lawmakers stage walkout, accusing Majority of violating parliamentary procedures.
The vetting of three Supreme Court nominees nominated by President John Dramani Mahama descended into heated partisan exchanges on Thursday, August 27, 2026, as the Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Appointments Committee staged a dramatic walkout.
The confrontation erupted just as the committee was about to begin the vetting of Justice Edward Amoako Asante, the first of the three nominees scheduled to appear. The nominees are Justice Sophia Rosetta Oduokura Bernasko Essah, a Justice of the Court of Appeal; Justice Edward Amoako Asante, also a Court of Appeal Justice and former President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice; and Mr Anthony Forson Jnr, a private legal practitioner and former President of the Ghana Bar Association.
Minority Objects to “Compressed” Timetable
Minority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin raised a preliminary objection before the vetting could proceed, arguing that the timeline for considering the nominations was unreasonably compressed. He noted that the nominations were only submitted to Parliament on Monday, August 24, leaving insufficient time for proper public scrutiny.
“If there is no vacancy to fill, there is certainly no emergency compelling anyone to fill it inside three days. There is no fire here,” Afenyo-Markin told the committee.
The Minority Leader maintained that the Supreme Court is currently functioning with its full roster of justices and continues to hear cases and issue judgments. He argued that the nominees were being proposed as additional justices rather than to fill any existing vacancies, questioning the urgency attached to the process.
Afenyo-Markin also demanded that the nominations be advertised for 14 days to allow members of the public adequate opportunity to submit their views, insisting that “the people of Ghana must participate”. He proposed that the vetting be deferred to September, with a report presented when Parliament reconvenes in October.
“Let us reason together and let us be seen being consistent with our political views. If you want to follow the precedent, please suspend today’s sitting, properly put out the advert as you requested when you were in opposition, and let us wait for the 14 days,” the Minority said.
Chairman Dismisses Objection as “Flimsy and Hollow”
Committee Chairman Bernard Ahiafor swiftly rejected the Minority’s objection, describing its grounds as “flimsy,” “hollow” and “baseless”.
Ahiafor argued that the Appointments Committee could not overturn a decision already taken by the full House. “Plenary has a right to vary the decision of the committee. However, if the House takes a decision, no committee can vary the decision of the House,” he said.
He further stated that any member dissatisfied with a decision of the House must use the procedures provided under Parliament’s Standing Orders to seek a reversal. “I will not preside over this committee and purport to vary the orders or directions or decision taken at the plenary by the entire House. It is not done in any democracy, and I will not be the first to introduce it in Ghana’s democracy,” Ahiafor declared.
The Chairman also rejected suggestions that the committee should treat the Supreme Court nominees differently from other nominees appearing before it. “I will not also preside over this particular committee and discriminate against the judges, allow the vetting of our colleagues and then reject the vetting of the judges’ nominee. I will not do that today. I won’t do that tomorrow,” he said.
Ahiafor then formally dismissed the objection, stating: “I therefore consider all grounds of the Minority Leader as flimsy and hollow. I considered his objection to be frivolous, vexatious, unmeritorious, baseless on the facts, the rules and the law”.
Heated Exchange and Walkout
Afenyo-Markin immediately challenged the Chairman’s ruling, arguing that Ahiafor did not have the authority to unilaterally dismiss a preliminary objection raised before the committee. He insisted that he had a right of reply and that the matter should be put to a vote for the committee to determine.
“It is the House that the committee must resolve. That is how we take decisions,” Afenyo-Markin said. He further argued that the committee’s Standing Orders did not give its Chairman the power to issue such a ruling. “If we are talking law, let’s talk law. It is not within your right to say you have ruled,” he said.
When the Chairman refused to budge and ruled that the vetting should proceed, the Minority Leader announced that his side could not participate in a process he deemed a violation of House rules. He then led the Minority members in a walkout, leaving only Majority MPs on the committee.
Context of Emergency Recall
The vetting was taking place during a five-day emergency recall of Parliament that began on Monday, August 24, and ends on Friday, August 28. Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin had recalled the House to consider urgent government business, including the Supreme Court nominations and two ministerial nominees.
The nominations were referred to the Appointments Committee by the Speaker on August 25, following a request from the President after consultations with the Judicial Council.
Nominees’ Backgrounds
The three nominees bring considerable legal experience to the table. Justice Sophia Bernasko-Essah has built a distinguished judicial career, serving on the Court of Appeal after many years within Ghana’s Judiciary. Justice Edward Amoako Asante recently completed his tenure as President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, where he served three terms totaling six years until October 2024. Mr Anthony Forson Jnr is a former President of the Ghana Bar Association and a respected private legal practitioner.
Implications
The walkout now casts uncertainty over whether the three nominations can be processed before the current emergency sitting ends on Friday. The Minority has indicated it is prepared to cooperate with the Majority on the vetting of the two ministerial nominees but remains firm on deferring the Supreme Court nominations to allow for fuller scrutiny.
Ghanamps.com