'If some people are unhappy with whatever I'm supposed to have said, then I'm sorry' – Honyenuga

Supreme Court nominee Justice Clemence Honyenuga has said if a speech he read on behalf of the chiefs and people of Afadjato a few months ago, which, in his view, has been misconstrued as his personal endorsement of President Nana Akufo-Addo, made some people unhappy, then he apologises for it.

“[For] my part, if out of political dissatisfaction, some people are unhappy with whatever I am supposed to have said, then I am sorry,” Justice Honyenuga told Parliament on Monday, 11 May 2020 while being vetted by the Appointments Committee.

According to the nominee, he did not endorse the Presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his personal capacity.

He said the state-owned Daily Graphic, which reported the story, misrepresented him and did not state that the endorsement was not his, but a speech he was elected to read on behalf of the chiefs.

The judge also indicated that the assertion that the president visited his traditional area was untrue as the President visited the Afadjato area where he was selected to speak on behalf of the traditional leaders.

Justice Honyenuga, who is also the Paramount Chief of the Nyagbo Traditional Area, earlier this year in his welcome address to President Akufo-Addo at a durbar of chiefs and people of the Afajato South District, was full of praise for the Akufo-Addo-led administration.

“We wish to congratulate you for the excellent manner you are governing this dear country of ours, Ghana, and the significant gains made in the economy in your first term”, adding: “It is true that you have won high admiration, not only in Africa but also in advanced democracies.

“Your flagship programmes, like the Free Senior High School, Planting for Food and Jobs – which has increased food production and has even led to exports; – One District-One Factory, among others, has (sic) increased food production and has (sic) improved upon the standard of living of many Ghanaians”, he said.

“Indeed”, he added: “For special mention is the Free SHS, which has broken boundaries and has greatly bridged the gap between the rich and the poor”, observing: “This programme has also broken the record, which was held by the first President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who gave free education to our brothers and sisters in the northern part of Ghana”.

The chief continued thus: “Your Free SHS programme is unprecedented in the history of Ghana, in a first term, as it covers the whole country”.

The Daily Graphic newspaper quoted Justice Honyenuga as calling on Ghanaians to give President Akufo-Addo another term to implement his vision for the country.

“We wish to congratulate you for the excellent manner you are governing this dear country of ours; it is our hope that with your vision and the gains made in your first term, Ghanaians may consider giving you another four years,” he stated.

Justice Honyenuga was widely condemned for the endorsement taking into consideration his position as a Court of Appeal Judge who is barred from making such political endorsement per the code of their conduct.