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The Chairman of the Minority Communications Committee in Parliament, A.B.A. Fuseini, has dismissed allegations of conflict of interest and nepotism against the President for nominating Justice Sophia Akuffo as the next Chief Justice.

In a Citi News interview, A.B.A. Fuseini, the Sagnarigu MP, said Ghanaians must rise above the suspicions of nepotism as long as the idea of merit was not compromised.

Justice Akuffo, who is a senior judge on the Supreme Court, was last Friday nominated by President Nana Akufo-Addo to replace Justice Georgina Wood who retires in June.

President Akufo-Addo and his Vice with the new Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo.
President Akufo-Addo, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia with the nominated Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo.

However, some commentators have accused President Akufo-Addo of running a “family and friends government” because of his familial and professional ties with the Supreme Court judge.

But A.B.A. Fuseini says such commentary should be disregarded noting that, “I think that we should move from the principle in this country that the fact that somebody [making appointments] is your brother or cousin or your sister should stop you from taking a position. If your brother is the President and you are competent enough to be appointed to any position, I honestly don’t have a problem with that.”

“The legal people indicate that she [Sophia Akuffo] has been a very good judge. That is what I hear and if what we are hearing is anything to go by, it has been done on the terms of her merit and I think we ought to accept it as a people.”