1992 Constitution Has Deepened Ghana's Democracy – Supreme Court Nominee

The President’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Prof. Richard Frimpong Oppong, has urged Ghanaians not to subject the 1992 Constitution to frequent amendments.

He emphasized that the Constitution has significantly deepened Ghana’s democracy and should not be treated like any other document subject to daily changes.

Prof. Oppong made these remarks while answering questions before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Tuesday, August 13, 2024.

His comments were in response to a question posed by the Member of Parliament for Nsawam/Adoagyiri, Hon. Frank Annoh-Dompreh.

Annoh-Dompreh, who serves as the Majority Chief Whip and a member of the Appointments Committee, sought Prof. Oppong’s views on the calls for amending the Constitution, particularly in light of the Constitutional Review Commission’s report from 2010.

“We had a Constitutional Commission, and they did some extensive work on the Constitution. A number of proposals were made. I know of countries like Kenya, where all provisions in their Constitution have been tested. There is a strong school of thought that argues we shouldn’t frequently amend our Constitution. You are a distinguished academic. Are there specific provisions in this Constitution that you believe, for the sake of deepening our democracy, must be urgently and necessarily amended?” Mr. Annoh-Dompreh asked.

In response, Prof. Oppong stated that the 1992 Constitution has served the country well and should not be subject to daily amendments like other documents.

“My personal view is that the 1992 Constitution has served the country well. It has deepened the culture of democracy, enhanced respect for human rights, and upheld the rule of law. It has been a source of stability for many years. This is the same Constitution I studied as a student at the University of Ghana. I believe we should allow the Constitution to grow through judicial interpretation, rather than amending it lightly on a day-to-day basis. It is not a document we should treat in such a manner,” he added.

Prof. Oppong was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Nana Akufo-Addo and referred to Parliament for vetting. He is currently being vetted by the Parliament Appointments Committee, pending approval by the full plenary.

Earlier in the day, the committee vetted his fellow nominee, Justice Sophia Rosetta Odukwaa Bernasko-Essah, a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

The Minority has raised constitutional concerns, questioning the President’s authority to appoint more justices to the Supreme Court than provided for under Article 128(1) and (2) of the Constitution.