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Justice Omoro Tanko Amadu, an Appeal Court judge, nominated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to the Supreme Court, has assured Ghanaians that he would deliver justice in the name of God, if approved to the Apex Court.

He said he would not follow personal considerations but would go by the legal regimes and necessary legislation to ensure fairness to all contending parties.

Appearing before the Joseph Osei Owusu-chaired Appointments-Committee of Parliament for vetting, Justice Amadu maintained that a judge must exhibit coolness so that no impression would be created that he or she had a bias against any litigant.

“The general courtroom attitude is that as a judge, if you continue to lose your temperament, parties will leave the court with the impression that ‘this judge has a bias against me,’” Justice Amadu told the Committee, in Accra, on Monday.

He added: “The judge must have the coolness of Lord Denning".

A judge must also exhibit discipline, use proper language and be punctual, he stated.

The vetting follows his nomination, with three others- Appeal Court Judge Justice Clemence Honyenuga, Lawyer Emmanuel Yoni Kulendi and Law Professor Henrietta Joy Adwoa Nyarko Mensah-Bonsu.

Their nomination letter by President Akufo-Addo was forwarded to Parliament March for their vetting and approval.

The move by the President is in line with Article 144 Clause Two of the 1992 Constitution, which stipulates that justices of the Supreme Court “shall be appointed by the President, acting on the advice of the Judicial Council, in consultation with the Council of State and with the approval of Parliament.”

Justice Amadu, the first ever Ghanaian Muslim to be nominated to the Supreme Court, and the 11th longest-serving judge at the Court of Appeal, identified the lack of motivation for judges and poor infrastructure as some of the greatest obstacles affecting the delivery of justice in Ghana.

He also advocated the use of deterrent and reformatory measures in addressing violent crimes.

Justice Amadu said there were enough commercial laws in Ghana but what was now needed was education on these laws.

When asked what laws would apply in the case of a Muslim man who married more than one, and died intestate, the jurist replied that municipal law would apply, with the consent of a choice nominated by the surviving widows.

To address systemic corruption in football, Justice Amadu advocated vigilance, conduct of appropriate investigations and strict sanctions as deterrent measures.

He recommended the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution as a way of decongesting the courts.

The jurist was emphatic that he had no regrets in the judgements he had given, but had naturally learned from some of the errors he made in his work.

On dealing with the Covid-19 Pandemic, which some critics say human rights were being violated in enforcing rules and restrictions, the judge said the disease was an ailment, which had so far defied definition.

It was, therefore, imperative to strike a balance between protecting the rights of citizens and maintaining the rule of law.

Much as it was incumbent on the Judiciary to ensure that rights were upheld, he explained: “We must live before we can enjoy the rights.”

Justice Amadu assured the Committee that he would continue to be assertive and ensure discipline and would not tolerate excuses for lateness.

On where some lawyers had scored him low marks in his work, he said: “I’ll take the feedback and work on it.”