Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has been recommended for approval as Chief Justice by a Majority decision of the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
This was after her vetting on Friday by the committee.
The Minority side in Parliament on the committee wanted the decision on her approval to be deferred.
But the Majority side said there was no basis for deferring the decision after every member on the committee was given the opportunity to ask a question when she appeared before the committee on Friday [May 26, 2023].
The Minority side had said they can fully evaluate Justice Gertrude Torkornoo and approve or disapprove of her nomination as a Chief Justice only after they have evaluated the “Supreme Court reasoned judgement in the matter of James Gyakye Quayson” and his removal from Parliament as a member for Assin North.”
However, the Chairman of the Appointments Committee of Parliament and First Deputy Speaker, Joe Osei Owusu, said the Minority side came to the vetting with that position.
It is his position that there is no basis for deferring a decision on her recommendation after the public hearing [vetting], just because the Minority side wants to read a judgment on the Gyakye Quayson case.
“They [Minority] came to the vetting with a position, do this for me or I don’t. We went through the vetting and clearly we are satisfied that there is no basis for deferring the decision [just] because we want to read the judgment [on Gyakye Quayson].
“Because they [Minority] have not read the judgment, they won’t support her, it is one of a fix position versus what is there.”
“We recommend her for approval by a Majority decision,” Mr Osei Owusu said.
He said the Appointments Committee will go ahead with its report per a majority decision instead of a consensus to the plenary for consideration.
He explained that after the public vetting and when the committee members went into a meeting like they normally do after every vetting, the Minority side brought up that issue of the outstanding Supreme Court full written ruling on the Gyakye Quayson case.