The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has called for reforms in the process of appointing Supreme Court judges, arguing that members of the judiciary should be given a greater role in selecting their leaders.
Speaking during a courtesy call by the Supreme Court’s 150th Anniversary Planning Committee on Thursday, June 11, Bagbin said the current appointment system requires urgent review.
“The appointments need urgent attention; we don’t want to allow other people to appoint who should be a judge or who should be the head of judges,” he said.
According to the Speaker, the legal profession should be given the opportunity to determine who leads the judiciary and who is appointed to the bench.
“They should have the opportunities to do it themselves. That profession should have the opportunity to do it themselves,” he stated.
Bagbin contrasted the judiciary’s appointment process with Parliament’s leadership structure, noting that Members of Parliament elect the Speaker from among themselves.
“In Parliament, the Speaker and MPs are appointed,” he said, suggesting that the legislature’s model offers greater autonomy in leadership selection.
His remarks come amid ongoing discussions about judicial independence and governance within Ghana’s constitutional framework.
The courtesy call formed part of the activities leading to the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Supreme Court.
