Joyce Bamford-Addo

Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo, JSC (born 26 March 1937) is a Ghanaian barrister and judge who served as the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana from 2009 to 2013.[1] The Speaker's position is the third most important in Ghana. She was previously a Supreme Court Judge. Following her appointment to the Supreme Court bench, she became the first woman to become a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana.[2][3] She served in that role from 1991 till 2004 when she retired.[4] She was also the first woman to be elected Speaker in such a position in the West African sub-region.[5][6] Her active campaign for women's empowerment was demonstrated in many conferences, meetings and workshops both locally and internationally.[5][7][8][9]

The Right Honourable

Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo

JSC
Bamford-Addo in parliament
Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana
4th Speaker of the Fourth Republic
In office
7 January 2009 – 6 January 2013
PresidentJohn Evans Atta-Mills (2009-12)
John Dramani Mahama (2012)
Vice PresidentJohn Dramani Mahama (2009-12)
Kwesi Amissah-Arthur (2012)
Preceded byEbenezer Sekyi-Hughes
Succeeded byEdward Adjaho
Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana
In office
19 November 1991 – October 2004
Appointed byJerry Rawlings
PresidentJerry Rawlings (1991-2001)
John Kufuor (2001-2009)
Personal details
Born
Joyce Adeline Bamford

(1937-03-26) 26 March 1937
Accra, Gold Coast
Nationality Ghanaian
Alma materHoly Child School
Inner Temple
Profession
Known forFirst woman Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana
First woman Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana

Early life and education

Born in 1937 to an English father and a Ghanaian mother from Aburi, Joyce Bamford-Addo attended St. Mary’s Boarding School and OLA Boarding School along with her sister Cynthia in Cape Coast 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 legal training. She joined the Inner Temple[10] to train under the apprenticeship system known as Inns of court and was called to the English Bar in 1961.[11]

Judicial service

Bamford-Addo returned to Ghana after working in the United Kingdom for a year. She was called to the Ghana Bar in 1962.[12] She started working as an Assistant State Attorney in 1963 and promoted to State Attorney, then subsequently promoted to become a Senior State Attorney before becoming a Principal State Attorney. She rose to become Chief State Attorney in 1973. She was appointed Director of Public Prosecutions in 1976, a position she held for 10 years.

Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana

She was also appointed by Jerry Rawlings as a Supreme Court Judge in 1991, becoming the first female Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana.[2][13] After working in the public service for several years, she retired voluntarily from the Supreme Court in October 2004.[12] It was allegedly reported that she retired because when she was bypassed for her junior, Justice George Kingsley Acquah, in the appointment of Chief Justice.[14]

Politics

In 1991,during the late Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) era, Bamford-Addo became the Second Deputy Speaker of Ghana's Consultative Assembly, set up to draft what became the 1992 constitution.[12]

Speaker of parliament

Following the 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections, she was elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Fourth Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana [15] taking over from Ebenezer Bagyina Sakyi Hughes, serving as the first female to take up that position, and second female to head an arm of government after Georgina Theodora Wood was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana. The appointment also made her the highest ranked female in Ghana's political history surpassing Georgina Theodora Woods. She became known across in Africa and across the globe joining other female speakers like Betty Boothroyd in the United Kingdom and Nancy Pelosi of the United States of America as first female speakers of their respective countries.[6][16][8]

Professional association

Bamford-Addo is a member of the Ghana Bar Association, Catholic Lawyers Guild, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA)[17] and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association.[18] Whilst working in the public service as a Supreme Court Judge, she also served as a member of the Legal Aid Board and the Judicial Council (General Legal Council).[12]

She served as the representative from Ghana at the several UN Commission on the Status of women international conferences.[12][18]

Awards and recognition

Bamford-Addo was awarded the best woman of the year by the American Biographical Institute in 2000 due to her zeal and unfettered efforts towards women issues and women empowerment.[18] She is considered as a female pacesetter in law and legislation in Ghana[16]and an inspiration and role model generally to Ghanaian women.[19][20][21][22]

She was honoured by Ghana Association of Women Entrepreneurs (GAWE) at their Global Women Entrepreneur Trade Fair and Investment Forum in Accra dinner and awards night in 2011[23] along with other Ghana’s first women top office holders Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, first woman Chief Justice, Anna Bossman, first woman Acting Commissioner for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and Elizabeth Mills-Robertson, first woman Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP).[24][25]

In October 2011, she was honored by President John Evans Atta Mills with the Companion of the Order of the Volta, highest in the Order of Volta awards, in recognition of her outstanding service to Ghana.[26][27]

Personal life

Bamford-Addo is a devout Christian and worships as a Roman Catholic.[28]

See also

References
  1. Daily Graphic (6 March 2017). "Ghanaian women's role in development since independence". Graphic Online. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  2. Vieta, K. T. (1999). The Flagbearers of Ghana: Profiles of One Hundred Distinguished Ghanaians, Volume 1. Ena Publications. p. 273. ISBN 9789988001384.
  3. Dawuni, J. Jarpa (2020), Yacob-Haliso, Olajumoke; Falola, Toyin (eds.), "Women in Judiciaries Across Africa", The Palgrave Handbook of African Women's Studies, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 1–21, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-77030-7_75-1, ISBN 978-3-319-77030-7, retrieved 8 January 2021
  4. "Newsmix: "Grandma Joyce" Bamford-Addo takes charge of Ghanaian Parliament | Women's Voices For Change". womensvoicesforchange.org. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  5. "Profile of Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo". Modern Ghana. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  6. "Grandma Joyce is Historic Speaker". Ghanaian Chronicle. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
  7. Cynthia Boakye (8 January 2009). "Ghana records another first. Justice Bamford Addo is first Female Speaker". Business News. Statesman Online. Archived from the original on 8 February 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  8. "World of Parliaments - Issue N°35". archive.ipu.org. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  9. Ghana News Agency (20 April 2009). "Speaker to approach work with human touch". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  10. "Joyce Bamford-Addo | Inner Temple". 3 December 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  11. "The Speaker - Rt. Hon. Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo". Parliament of Ghana. Archived from the original on 20 February 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  12. "Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo , Ex- Speaker of Parliament". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  13. IAWL (8 February 2020). "Why More Women on the Supreme Court of Ghana Matters: Open Letter to H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo". African Women in Law. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  14. "CV of the new Speaker". Ghana Web. 8 January 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  15. "Fifth Parliament makes history". Ghana Web. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  16. "GHANA: The Rise Of Ghanaian Women: Matters Arising". www.fgmnetwork.org. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  17. "FIDA congratulates new speaker". BusinessGhana. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  18. Ghana News Agency (7 January 2009). "CV of the new Speaker - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  19. "Speaker Bamford-Addo's feat should motivate women towards higher education". BusinessGhana. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  20. "GHANA: Female Pols in Ghana Reflect on Recent Power Drain". PeaceWomen. 3 February 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  21. Obeng-Tabi, Kojo (8 March 2017). "Women Empowerment". www.gbcghana.com. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  22. Agency, Ghana News (17 December 2014). "Women are best positioned to manage Ghana - NCCE". News Ghana. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  23. Bennett, Christopher Kweku (1 August 2009). "Successful women rewarded". Ghana Business News. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  24. Bennett, Christopher Kweku (1 August 2009). "Successful women rewarded". Ghana Business News. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  25. Ghana News Agency (2 August 2009). "Women Achievers rewarded". BusinessGhana. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  26. GNA (15 October 2011). "State honours heroes". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  27. Dogbevi, Emmanuel (15 October 2011). "State honours heroes". Ghana Business News. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  28. Ghana News Agency (7 January 2009). "CV of the new Speaker - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
Political offices
Preceded by
Ebenezer Sekyi-Hughes		 Speaker of Ghanaian Parliament
2009–13		 Succeeded by
Edward Adjaho
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