FIDA-Ghana Congratulates Nomination of Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo as Chief Justice

Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo has been nominated by the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as the Chief Justice of the country. FIDA-Ghana, the International Federation of Women Lawyers, has praised Torkornoo’s leadership skills in implementing judiciary reforms, particularly the Business Environment Engineering Project (BEEP). FIDA believes that Torkornoo’s appointment will enable the judiciary to restore confidence and pride in the legal system.

FIDA has acknowledged the legal precedent set by Ghana as a country with an increasing number of women appointees to the judiciary. Ghana and Rwanda are the first two African countries to have elected women to the position of Chief Justice. FIDA Ghana called for the passage of an affirmative action law to ensure gender equity and equality in the appointment of women to decision-making positions.

When confirmed by Parliament, Justice Torkornoo, who was born in Cape Coast, will become the third female Chief Justice of Ghana. She graduated from the Ghana School of Law in 1986 and obtained a Post-graduate Diploma in International Law and Organisation from the International Institute of Social Studies in the Netherlands in 2001. She is also an alumnus of the Golden Gate University, USA, where she obtained an LLM in Intellectual Property Law in 2011.

Torkornoo served as a volunteer at the FIDA Legal Aid Service and did an internship at Nabarro Nathanson in London. She became a Justice of the High Court from May 2004 to October 2012 and was appointed to the Court of Appeal from October 2012 to 2019 when she was elevated to the Supreme Court.

Torkornoo’s nomination is a significant milestone in the history of Ghana’s judiciary. The appointment of more women to decision-making positions in Ghana is commendable and reflects a growing trend across the African continent. However, more needs to be done to ensure that women’s representation in decision-making positions is guaranteed through affirmative action laws. For the most part, Torkornoo’s exemplary leadership skills and vast experience in the judiciary will enable her to make groundbreaking reforms that will restore confidence in Ghana’s legal system.

Source: Graphic Online