President John Dramani Mahama has charged three newly sworn-in Supreme Court Justices to uphold the integrity of Ghana’s judiciary and protect public confidence in the administration of justice.
He said the authority of the Supreme Court depended not on political influence or force, but on the confidence Ghanaians placed in the institution and its ability to administer justice independently and fairly.
President Mahama made the remarks when he swore in Justice Sophia Rosetta Oduokouan Bernasko-Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Justice Anthony Forson Jnr at the Banquet Hall of the Jubilee House in Accra on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
Justice Bernasko-Essah and Justice Asante were elevated from the Court of Appeal, while Justice Forson Jnr joined the apex court from private legal practice. He is also a former President of the Ghana Bar Association.
“The authority of the court does not rest on force or political power. It rests on the confidence and trust of the people,” President Mahama said.
He urged the new Justices to approach their responsibilities with independence, impartiality and a strict adherence to the law.
According to him, membership of the Supreme Court required more than legal expertise, stressing the importance of sound judgment, integrity, intellectual courage, patience and an unwavering commitment to justice.
“The oath you have taken today is consequential, not ceremonial. It requires you to administer justice without fear or favour, affection or ill will, and to defend the Constitution of Ghana at all times,” he said.
Bernasko-Essah brings judicial experience
President Mahama said Justice Bernasko-Essah would bring extensive judicial experience and practical knowledge of the administration of justice to the Supreme Court.
He said her experience at the Court of Appeal had equipped her to deal with complex legal questions, review decisions from lower courts and contribute to the development of Ghanaian jurisprudence.
Justice Bernasko-Essah was first nominated to the Supreme Court in 2024 by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, but the appointment process was not completed before the change of government.
President Mahama said her elevation was recognition of her competence, discipline and dedication throughout her judicial career.
He also tasked her with contributing to the quality, clarity and consistency of decisions of the apex court.
Asante brings regional legal expertise
Justice Edward Amoako Asante, a former President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, was described by President Mahama as bringing valuable regional judicial experience to the Supreme Court.
The President said his work at the ECOWAS Court exposed him to legal issues involving regional integration, treaty obligations, human rights and the interaction between domestic and international law.
“At a time when legal questions increasingly cross national boundaries, your understanding of both Ghanaian jurisprudence and regional legal frameworks will enrich our Supreme Court’s deliberations,” he said.
Forson moves from Bar to Bench
President Mahama said Justice Anthony Forson Jnr’s transition from private legal practice to the Supreme Court would add another important perspective to the apex court.
He noted that while lawyers in private practice were required to advance the interests of their clients, judges had a different responsibility to remain above competing interests and determine cases solely on the law, evidence and principles of justice.
“Your transition from the Bar to the Bench is significant. The advocate advances a client’s case, but the judge must rise above every competing interest and decide solely on the law, the evidence and the dictates of justice,” he said.
President Mahama expressed confidence that the combination of judicial, regional and private-practice experience brought by the three Justices would enrich deliberations at the Supreme Court.
He said their varied backgrounds would contribute to the continued development of Ghanaian law and strengthen the administration of justice.
