The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, is calling for a legislative cap on the number of Justices appointed to Ghana's Supreme Court.

Currently, the constitution mandates a minimum of nine judges but does not specify an upper limit.

This push for reform comes in the wake of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's nomination of two new Justices, Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah and Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong, to replace the retiring Justice Nii Ashie Kotey and the soon-to-retire Justice Mariama Owusu.

Addressing Parliament, Speaker Bagbin emphasised the need for a ceiling on the number of Supreme Court Justices to prevent unchecked increases in appointments.

“And so, we’re being called through this letter as a House to look into the issue of a full complement of the Supreme Court, should it be 13, 15, 20, 40, or 100. It’s for this House to decide,” Speaker Bagbin remarked.

He continued: “I’m urging you to look at this issue, given the provision reforms or to pass legislation and to give an upper limit as to how many can be at the Supreme Court of a country of 33 million people.”

Following the President's nominations, Speaker Bagbin referred the matter to the Appointments Committee for review and feedback, setting the stage for parliamentary discussions on the nominations and the broader issue of judicial appointments.