Human rights lawyer, Nana Oye Lithur, has backed President Akufo-Addo on his nomination of Supreme Court judge, Justice Sophia Abena Boafoa Akuffo, as Ghana’s Chief Justice as she exalts the latter for her professional achievements.
Describing her as “one of the finest legal brains” in the country, the former Gender and Social Protection Minister said God will guide Justice Akuffo to chart a part that would ensure that ” justice will roll like waters and righteousness like an everflowing stream in Ghana,”.
Justice Akuffo was named by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Friday to succeed Justice Georgina Theodora Wood who retires in June, having served in that position for 10 years.
The 67-year-old was among two other justices of the Supreme Court – Justice Jones Dotse and Justice Anin Yeboah – tipped for the highest judicial job but the president settled on her on grounds that she is the best to lead the judiciary.
“I have known her for over 40 years…as my first junior in practice, she impressed me considerably with her hardwork, independence of mind and spirit, deep seated respect for the rule of law, and abiding beliefs,” Nana Akufo-Addo stated as he announced her for the CJ position.
In a Facebook post to back the president’s nominee, Mrs Oye Lithur recounted how Justice Akuffo through her law firm Akuffo & Co. have groomed a lot of outstanding lawyers in the country including herself.
She said lawyers who served under Justice Akuffo had “had to be excellent, professional in our approach, punctual to meetings and perfect!.
“You were strict, efficient, hardworking, no nonsense and compassionate as head of chambers,” Mrs Oye Lithur said of Justice Akuffo whose nomination is expected to be approved by Parliament in its next sitting.
Ms Justice Akuffo has served as a justice of the Supreme Court for the past two decades, the Daily Graphic reported.
She has been a member of the Governing Committee of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute and Chairperson of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Task Force.
In January 2006, she was elected as one of the first judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and was re-elected until 2014 when she served as the Vice-President. She is the immediate past President of the African Court on Human and People’s Rights.
She is on the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council and has held membership of several organisations, including the Committee of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute.
Her publications include The Application of Information & Communication Technology in the Judicial Process – The Ghanaian Experience, presented to the African Judicial Network Ghana (2002).
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