Justice Dzamefe firmly backs presidential term limits

Supreme Court nominee Justice Senyo Dzamefe has voiced unequivocal support for the constitutional provision limiting Ghanaian presidents to two terms in office, underscoring his commitment to the rule of law and constitutional fidelity.

Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, June 16, 2025, Justice Dzamefe was quizzed by Suame MP John Darko on his interpretation of Article 66(2) of the 1992 Constitution, which explicitly bars any individual from serving more than two terms as President.

“Do you think this provision is subject to interpretation?” the MP asked.

Justice Dzamefe responded with clarity and deference to the Constitution:

“Mr. Chairman, the honourable member referred to the constitution, and that is what the constitution says. So I can’t have anything against what is in the constitution.”

His response comes at a politically charged moment, as Minority Leader and MP for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has publicly accused President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of orchestrating a covert plan to pursue a third presidential term—a claim that has ignited debate across the political spectrum.

In an interview on May 1, 2025, Afenyo-Markin cited the president’s recent nomination of seven new Justices to the Supreme Court as evidence of a grander scheme.

“It is obvious that the bold attempts by the president to nominate out of the blue, seven judges, to the Supreme Court are the first major attempt at all that they have rehearsed; a third-term agenda. All that the NDC is doing is through the advice of the hawks of NDC to set a third term agenda for its leadership,” he alleged.

However, the government has defended the nominations as constitutionally grounded and essential for strengthening the judiciary. President Mahama, on April 30, 2025, exercised his powers under Article 144(2) of the Constitution to elevate seven Justices of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court, a move officials say is aimed at reinforcing the apex court’s capacity amid increasingly complex legal and constitutional cases.

Justice Dzamefe’s firm stance on term limits may help dispel speculation surrounding the independence of the new nominees, especially as public scrutiny of judicial appointments continues to intensify in the current political climate.