Joyce Bamford-Addo
Encyclopedia
Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo (born 26 March 1937) is the Speaker
of the Parliament of Ghana
. The Speaker's position is the third most important in the Republic of Ghana
. She is also a retired Supreme Court Judge
. She is the first female Speaker in such a position in the West African sub-region.
for her basic education. She subsequently attended Holy Child School, also in Cape Coast for her secondary education
. She proceeded to the United Kingdom
for further studies. She joined the Inner Temple
for her law
studies and was called to the English Bar
in 1961.
as a Supreme Court Judge
in 1991. She retired from the Supreme Court in October 2004 following allegations that she was bypassed for her junior, Justice George Kingsley Acquah
in the appointment of Chief Justice.
and parliamentary elections, she was elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana
.
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Parliament of Ghana
Parliament of Ghana
The Parliament of Ghana is the legislative body of the Ghanaian government.-History:Legislative representation in Ghana dates back to 1850, when the country was a British colony. The body, called the Legislative Council, was purely advisory as the Governor exercised all legislative and executive...
. The Speaker's position is the third most important in the Republic of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. She is also a retired Supreme Court Judge
Supreme Court of Ghana
The Supreme Court of Ghana is the highest judicial body in Ghana. Ghana's 1992 constitution guarantees the independence and separation of the Judiciary from the Legislative and the Executive arms of government.-History:...
. She is the first female Speaker in such a position in the West African sub-region.
Early life and education
Joyce Bamford-Addo attended the St. Mary’s Boarding School and the OLA Boarding School along with her sister Cynthia in Cape CoastCape Coast
Cape Coast, or Cabo Corso, is the capital of the Central Region of Ghana and is also the capital city of the Fante people, or Mfantsefo. It is situated 165 km west of Accra on the Gulf of Guinea. It has a population of 82,291 . From the 16th century the city has changed hands between the...
for her basic education. She subsequently attended Holy Child School, also in Cape Coast for her secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
. She proceeded to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for further studies. She joined the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
for her law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
studies and was called to the English Bar
Barristers in England and Wales
Barristers in England and Wales are one of the two main categories of lawyer in England and Wales, the other being solicitors. -Origin of the profession:The work of senior legal professionals in England and Wales...
in 1961.
Judicial Service
Mrs. Bamford-Addo returned to Ghana after working in the UK for a year. She was called to the Ghana Bar in 1962. She worked as a State Attorney from 1963 and rose to become Chief State Attorney in 1973. She was appointed the Director of Public Prosecutions in 1976, a position she held for 10 years. She was also appointed by Jerry RawlingsJerry Rawlings
Jerry John Rawlings is a former leader of the Republic of Ghana and now the African Union envoy to Somalia. Rawlings ruled Ghana as a military dictator in 1979 and from 1981 to 1992 and then as the first elected president of the Fourth Republic from 1993 to 2001...
as a Supreme Court Judge
Supreme Court of Ghana
The Supreme Court of Ghana is the highest judicial body in Ghana. Ghana's 1992 constitution guarantees the independence and separation of the Judiciary from the Legislative and the Executive arms of government.-History:...
in 1991. She retired from the Supreme Court in October 2004 following allegations that she was bypassed for her junior, Justice George Kingsley Acquah
George Kingsley Acquah
Justice George Kingsley Acquah was the twenty-third Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana. He was appointed as Chief Justice on 4 July 2003 and was the incumbent until his death...
in the appointment of Chief Justice.
Politics
In 1991, Mrs. Bamford-Addo became the 2nd Deputy Speaker of Ghana's Consultative Assembly, set up to draft what became Ghana's current constitution, the 1992 constitution. Following the 2008 presidentialGhanaian presidential election, 2008
A presidential election was held in Ghana on 7 December 2008, at the same time as a parliamentary election. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the votes, a run-off election was held on 28 December, 2008 between the two candidates who received the most votes, Nana Akufo-Addo and John Atta...
and parliamentary elections, she was elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Fifth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana
Parliament of Ghana
The Parliament of Ghana is the legislative body of the Ghanaian government.-History:Legislative representation in Ghana dates back to 1850, when the country was a British colony. The body, called the Legislative Council, was purely advisory as the Governor exercised all legislative and executive...
.