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Ghana’s Chief Justice, Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, who retires from the judiciary in June this year, is to be appointed to the Council of State, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has revealed.

Her appointment to the Council will be in line with a provision of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which requires a former Chief Justice to be included in the 25-membership of the Council.

Article 89(2)(i) of the Constitution states there shall be a Council of State which shall consist of “one person who has previously held the office of Chief Justice”.

In view of the absence of a living former Chief Justice, Ghana’s Council of State has at least in the past decade, not had the 25 membership as required by the Constitution “to counsel the President in the performance of his functions”.

A 24-membership Council made up of 10 regional elected representatives and 14 others appointed by the President, was on February 25, 2017 sworn into office by Nana Akufo-Addo.

Council of State awaits Justice G. T. Wood

Immediately after June 8, 2017 when Justice Georgina Wood retires, she will be sworn in as the 25th member of the Council of State.

President Akufo-Addo in announcing Justice Sophia Akuffo as a successor to Justice Wood Friday said although the latter is retiring as the head of Ghana’s judiciary, “her public service will not be over as her place on the Council of State awaits her”.

He described the tenure and career of Justice Wood as “extraordinary, and I pay warm tribute to her distinguished service to our nation”.