Work load on judiciary is just too much – Justice Mariama Owusu
Justice Mariama Owusu who has been nominated to serve on the Supreme Court bench has said one of the challenges that need to be addressed in the Judicial Service is the workload in the sector.
Appearing before the Appointment Committee of Parliament on Monday [December 9, 2019], for vetting, Justice Owusu said the Supreme Court is overwhelmed with cases on appeal, making it difficult for the Supreme Court to address developmental issues.
This comes after the Member of Parliament of Cape Coast North constituency in the Central Region, Barbara Ayisi, asked what some of the challenges are in the judicial arm and how it can be addressed.
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Justice Mariam Owusu who acknowledged the huge workload on the judiciary said: “...I think these days the workload on the judiciary is just too much, you know the appeal is out of right from the District Court up to the Supreme Court then in-between interlocutory application so it doesn’t leave the Supreme Court to do the proper thing which is developmental issues that are coming up. I noticed that the constitutional review committee said that something should be done about the interlocutory appeals, maybe at the Court of Appeal level so that the work on the Supreme Court will be lesser” she said.
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On November 12, 2019, the speaker in parliament announced the appointment of the Justice Mariama Owusu, Justice Lovelace Johnson and Justice Gertrude Tokornoo as Supreme Court Justices.
They have been appointed to replace three justices who are due for retirement by the end of the year namely, Justice Vida Akoto-Bamfo, Justice Sophia Adinyira and Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo.
The current Chief Justice, Sophia A.B Akuffo, will retire on December 20, 2019.
Per Article 144 clause 1 of the 1992 Constitution, the President appoints a Justice of the Supreme Court as Chief Justice in consultation with the Council of State and with the approval of Parliament.