President swears in former Chief Justice into Council of State today

The former Chief Justice, Madam Georgina Theodora Wood will later today June 20, 2017 be sworn into office as a Member of the Council of State.

Justice Wood who retired on June 10, 2017 after attaining the mandatory retirement age (70), was appointed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as a member of the Council of State.

Per the provisions of the constitution, the permanent members on the Council of State must include a former Chief Justice and President of the National House of Chiefs.

She will join other members of the Council of State including Juabenhene Nana Otuo Siriboe II, Sam Okudzeto, Nana Kofi Obiri Egyir II, Stanley Adjiri Blankson, Mrs Alberta Cudjoe, Alhaji Aminu Amadu, Dr Margaret Amoakohene, Alhaji Sahanun Moqtar, Mrs Georgina Kusi, Alhaji Sule Yiremiah, and Mr Paa Kofi Ansong.

The rest are Lt General J.B. Danquah, a former Chief of Defence Staff of the Armed Forces, and Nana Owusu Nsiah, a former Inspector General of Police, to the Council.

The President of the National House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV, is an ex-officio member of the Council in furtherance of Article 89(2) (b).

She was nominated for the position of Chief Justice in May 2007 and on June 1, 2007 parliament approved her nomination by consensus, making her the first woman to head the Judiciary.

Since taking office, Mrs Wood has sworn in three Presidents – the late President John Evans Atta Mills in January 2009, then Vice President John Dramani Mahama upon the death of President Mills on 24 July 2012, and President-elect John Dramani Mahama on 7 January 2013.

She last swore into office on January 7, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.