President John Dramani Mahama, speaking at a swearing-in ceremony for 21 newly elevated Court of Appeal justices on Thursday, urged the judges to remain resolute in upholding justice despite mounting public criticism of the judiciary.
Addressing the assembled judges, who were promoted from High Court benches, Mahama acknowledged the intensifying public scrutiny of judicial rulings in Ghana but framed such criticism not as a threat, but as a reflection of public trust in the legal system.
“In recent times, our courts have faced significant criticism. Citizens have openly—and at times harshly—questioned judicial decisions,” Mahama said. “But I want to be clear: criticism of judgments is not a sign of despair; it is a sign of hope. It shows that Ghanaians still believe in the courts, that justice matters, and that rulings carry weight in their lives.”
The President cautioned, however, against slipping into cynicism—the “corrosive belief that courts serve only the powerful at the expense of ordinary citizens,” he warned, urging the justices to safeguard the judiciary’s integrity.
The ceremony featured the appointment of notable figures, including Dormaahene Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, who joins the appellate bench.
The newly appointed justices include Senyo Amedahe, Olivia Boeng Owusu, Douglas Seidu, Ali Baba Bature, Mariama Samo, Abena Adzin Doku, Mary Maame Akua Yanzu, Justin Dorgu, George Boadi, Ayitey Armah-Tetteh, Jennifer Anne Myers Ahmed, John Bosco Nabarese, Kwasi Anokye Gyimah, Richmond Osei Hwere, Apangano Achibonga, Charity Akosua Asem, Enyonam Adinyira, Shiela Minta, Bridget Kafui Antonio, and Franklina Gesila Adanu.
The appointments underscore the government’s efforts to strengthen Ghana’s judiciary amid ongoing calls for judicial transparency and accountability.
