Ghana swears in its second consecutive female Chief Justice
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The president of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday administered the oath of office for the country’s second female Chief Justice and thirteenth holder of the position of head of the judicial system.
Justice Sophia Abena Boafo Akuffo was passed by the country’s Parliament after a vetting process that was held last week. She becomes the fourth most powerful official in Ghana.
Present at the swearing in were two former presidents of the country – John Agyekum Kufuor and Jerry John Rawlings. The head of the presidential advisory board (Council of State) and other top government officials were present at the ceremony.
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She was nominated several weeks ago by the President to occupy the position left by the first female occupant.
During her vetting, she touched on issues relating to mob justice in the country with the most recent case being the lynching of a top soldier after he was mistaken for an armed robber. She is also expected to come up with strategies to ensure that people have faith in the judicial system.
Georgina Theodora Wood is the first female to occupy this position in Ghana. She retired after serving as Chief Justice from 2007 – 2017
A few facts about Ghana’s new Chief Justice:
1. In 2006, she was one of the first judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples rights.
2. She is the immediate past president of the African Court on Human and Peoples rights.
3. She has been a justice on the Supreme Court since 1995.
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4. She holds a master’s degree in Law (LLM) from Harvard University.
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