Accra: Awal Mohammed, a member of the New Patriotic Party's National Communications Team, recently asserted on Joy News' AM Show that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had vowed to limit the number of Supreme Court justices to 15. He criticized the NDC for purportedly failing to fulfill this manifesto promise, citing that there are currently 19 Supreme Court justices. His comments were made in the context of a broader discussion about the appointment of judges and the alleged court-packing by President John Dramani Mahama.
According to Ghana Web, an investigation was conducted into the NDC's 2024 manifesto to verify the accuracy of Awal Mohammed's claims. The analysis revealed that there was no specific promise to cap the number of Supreme Court justices at 15. The manifesto, under CHAPTER 6: RESTORING GOOD GOVERNANCE AND FIGHTING CORRUPTION, discusses plans for the judiciary, focusing on Enhancing Justice Delivery, Justice for All, and Judicial Accountability. Notably, the Supreme Court was mentioned only once, without reference to any cap on the number of justices.
Further examination showed that during a campaign in 2024, former President Mahama addressed the issue of Supreme Court appointments. He criticized then-President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for packing the court and referenced a Constitutional Review Committee recommendation to cap justices at 15. However, Mahama emphasized that such a decision should involve a constitutional review process and be put to the Ghanaian people, rather than being unilaterally decided by the Chief Justice.