Supreme Court nominee Justice Senyo Dzamefe has reaffirmed that the Ghanaian Constitution limits presidents to two terms in office, leaving no room for extensions.
Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, 16 June, Dzamefe emphasized, “The Constitution says only two terms, and we have to follow it. We don’t have a choice.”
His comment came in response to questions raised by Minority Leader Hon. Afenyo Markin and underscores ongoing political debates over presidential tenure in Ghana. On the judiciary, Justice Dzamefe proposed maintaining the retirement age of Supreme Court judges at 70, rejecting suggestions to raise it to 75 years.
He argued, “I want Judges to retire very healthy and then we can use them as assessors,” stressing the importance of both judicial vitality and post-retirement contributions.
Justice Dzamefe also outlined a bold vision for judicial reforms aimed at ending chronic delays in Ghana’s court system.
He advocated for introducing fixed timelines for case completion—three months for criminal cases and six months for civil matters—to expedite justice delivery.
Stressing the need for improved infrastructure and technology, he stated, “We need more courts so that the job will be spread thin, and it will go faster… We must go with technology. The time of long handwriting is long gone past.”
His recommendations include the use of artificial intelligence, voice recording, transcription systems, and virtual testimony to modernize court proceedings.
Dzamefe’s stance also cautions against fulfilling gender parity through unqualified appointments, saying, “Gender parity does not mean you have to push women not qualified just to fulfill the parity agenda.”
