Supreme Court nominee, Justice Philip Bright Mensah, has proposed that the number of justices on Ghana’s Supreme Court be expanded to at least 20, citing the increasing volume and complexity of cases before the apex court.
Speaking during his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Tuesday, June 17, Justice Mensah stressed that the current bench size is inadequate to handle the mounting caseload in a timely and efficient manner.
“Inferably, you will see that there are more cases,” he told the committee. “And as the cases build up—and they are expensive—it is only fair and reasonable that judges must be recruited to deal with those cases.”
When asked what he considered an ideal minimum number of Supreme Court justices, the nominee responded:
“Given the nature of the work they do, the end result is so many cases. Therefore, I will suggest 20 judges… In my humble opinion, I will recommend that 20 judges be appropriate.”
Currently, the 1992 Constitution allows for the Supreme Court to have not fewer than nine justices, but it does not specify a maximum. Justice Mensah’s recommendation could reignite discussions around judicial reforms and resource allocation within the judiciary.