I’ll serve Ghana – New SC judge Mensah Bonsu

Newly appointed Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana Justice Professor Henrietta Joy Abena Nyarko Mensa-Bonsu says she will serve the course of Ghana and nothing else in her new role as a judge at the constitutional and Apex Court of Ghana.

Justice Mensa-Bonsu, made the pledge after she was sworn into office by the President of the Republic Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at a ceremony held at the Banquet Hall of the Jubilee House today the 26th of May 2020.

Quoting the third stanza of the National anthem of Ghana which says “with our gifts of mind and strength of arm, whether night or day, in the midst of the storm, in every need whatever the call may be, to serve thee, Ghana, now and evermore” Justice Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, said she makes a pledge “that as always, I will devote my time and talents to her (Ghana) call and serve her (Ghana) to the best of my ability”.

President Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo, in his remarks after administering three Oaths, the Oath of Allegiance, the Judicial Oath and the Oath of Secrecy, to Justice Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, said he is delighted to be the President to have sworn the distinguished jurist and academic into office as a justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana.

“I am happy to be the President who swore her into office as a Justice of the Supreme Court. The appointment I have no doubt will help strengthen the development of the Court’s Jurisprudence and case law,” President Akufo-Addo said.

Nominees to the Supreme Court

Parliament on the 20th of May 2020 approved the nomination of four (4) Justices of the Supreme Court. They are Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenugah, Justice Amadu Tanko, Mr. Yonny Kulendi and Prof. Henrietta Joy Abena Nyarko Mensah Bonsu. Justice Clemence Jackson Honyenugah and Justice Amadu Tanko, were sworn into office last Friday, the 22nd of May 2020 by President Akufo-Addo.

With Justice Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu’s swearing-in out of the way, Mr. Yonny Kulendi would be the last of the four to be sworn into office.

Composition of the Supreme Court

There are currently fourteen (14) Justices of the Supreme Court and they are His Lordship Justice Anin Yeboah, the Chief Justice of the Republic. The other Justices are His Lordship Justice Julius Ansah, His Lordship Justice Jones Dotse, His Lordship Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie, His Lordship Justice Nasiru S. Gbadegbe, His Lordship Justice Yaw Appau, His Lordship Justice Gabriel Pwamang.

The rest are His Lordship Justice Samuel K. Marful-Sau, Her Ladyship Justice Agnes M.A. Dordzie, His Lordship Justice Nene Abayaateye Ofoe Amegatcher, His Lordship Justice Prof. Nii Ashie Kotey, Her Ladyship Justice Mariama Owusu, Her Ladyship Justice Avril Lovelace Johnson and Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.

With the approval by Parliament and the subsequent swearing-in of four more Justices of the Supreme Court, Ghana’s Apex Court now has eighteen (18) Justices. It is expected that some of the Justices of the Supreme Court would retire from the bench within the year 2020.