President Nana Akufo-Addo’s nominee for the Chief Justice position,  Sophia Akuffo has officially been sworn into office as Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana.

The swearing-in ceremony which hosted political bigwigs and members of the Judicial fraternity, took place at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Accra on Monday.

Before the commencement of the swearing-in, Justice Sophia Akuffo had earlier received a unanimous approval by Parliament after the House debated a report from the Appointment Commitment on her 5-hour long vetting last Friday June, 16.

While swearing-in Justice Sophia Akuffo, the President Nana Akufo-Addo expressed confidence in her ability to deliver on her mandate.

Outlining her qualities, the President noted “hard work, discipline, capacity for detailed research, intimate knowledge of the law, independence of mind and spirit, honesty and integrity, deep-seated respect for the rule of law and for the best traditions of the legal profession, abiding belief in the sovereignty of Almighty God.”

“It is of my believe that Justice Sophia Akuffo will help bring honour to the Judiciary and to our country and in her, we have a worthy successor to Chief Justice Georgina Wood and the others who have gone before her.” the President has said.

She becomes the 13th Chief Justice in the position, and the second female after the immediate past Chief Justice, Georgina Wood.

About Sophia Akuffo

Sophia Akuffo had her Masters in Law (LLM) from the Havard University in the United States.

She has been a member of the Governing Committee of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute and the Chairperson of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Task Force.

In January 2006, she was elected one of the first judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights initially elected for two years, she was subsequently re-elected until 2014 and is at present serving as Vice-President of the Court.

She has written The Application of Information & Communication Technology in the Judicial Process – the Ghanaian Experience, a presentation to the African Judicial Network Ghana (2002).

Justice Sophia Akuffo is now the fifth Chief Justice under the fourth republic after; Isaac Kobina Abban who served between 1995 to 2001.

Edward Kwame Wiredu also served between 2001 and 2003 while George Kingley Acquah served from 2003 to 2007 before Georgina Theodora Wood from 2007 to 2017.

Justice Akuffo will also be the 13th Chief Justice in the history of the Republic of Ghana.

See pictures below

Story: Blessing Roselyn Boateng

 

Exclusively Newslinegh