Joyce Bamford-Addo
Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo | |
---|---|
Bamford-Addo in parliament | |
Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana 4th Speaker of the Fourth Republic | |
In office 7 January 2009 – 6 January 2013 | |
President | John Evans Atta-Mills (2009-12) John Dramani Mahama (2012) |
Vice President | John Dramani Mahama (2009-12) Kwesi Amissah-Arthur (2012) |
Preceded by | Ebenezer Sekyi-Hughes |
Succeeded by | Edward Adjaho |
Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana | |
In office 19 November 1991 – October 2004 | |
Appointed by | Jerry Rawlings |
President | Jerry Rawlings (1991-2001) John Kufuor (2001-2009) |
Personal details | |
Born | Joyce Adeline Bamford 26 March 1937 Accra, Gold Coast |
Nationality | |
Alma mater | Holy Child School Inner Temple |
Profession | |
Known for | First woman Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana First woman Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana |
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]
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 then a principal state attorney till 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 christian and practicing Roman Catholic.[28]
See also
- Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana
- List of judges of the Supreme Court of Ghana
- Supreme Court of Ghana
References
- ^ Daily Graphic (6 March 2017). "Ghanaian women's role in development since independence". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Vieta, K. T. (1999). The Flagbearers of Ghana: Profiles of One Hundred Distinguished Ghanaians, Volume 1. Ena Publications. p. 273. ISBN 9789988001384.
- ^ 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 2021-01-08
- ^ "Newsmix: "Grandma Joyce" Bamford-Addo takes charge of Ghanaian Parliament | Women's Voices For Change". womensvoicesforchange.org. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Profile of Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo". Modern Ghana. 2009-01-07. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
- ^ a b "Grandma Joyce is Historic Speaker". Ghanaian Chronicle. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b "World of Parliaments - Issue N°35". archive.ipu.org. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
- ^ Ghana News Agency (20 April 2009). "Speaker to approach work with human touch". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Joyce Bamford-Addo | Inner Temple". 2019-12-03. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
- ^ "The Speaker - Rt. Hon. Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo". Parliament of Ghana. Archived from the original on 20 February 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
- ^ a b c d e "Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo , Ex- Speaker of Parliament". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
- ^ IAWL (2020-02-08). "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 2021-01-08.
- ^ "CV of the new Speaker". Ghana Web. 8 January 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
- ^ "Fifth Parliament makes history". Ghana Web. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
- ^ a b "GHANA: The Rise Of Ghanaian Women: Matters Arising". www.fgmnetwork.org. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "FIDA congratulates new speaker". BusinessGhana. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
- ^ a b c Ghana News Agency (7 January 2009). "CV of the new Speaker - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Speaker Bamford-Addo's feat should motivate women towards higher education". BusinessGhana. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
- ^ "GHANA: Female Pols in Ghana Reflect on Recent Power Drain". PeaceWomen. 2015-02-03. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
- ^ Obeng-Tabi, Kojo (8 March 2017). "Women Empowerment". www.gbcghana.com. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Agency, Ghana News (2014-12-17). "Women are best positioned to manage Ghana - NCCE". News Ghana. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
- ^ Bennett, Christopher Kweku (2009-08-01). "Successful women rewarded". Ghana Business News. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
- ^ Bennett, Christopher Kweku (2009-08-01). "Successful women rewarded". Ghana Business News. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
- ^ Ghana News Agency (2 August 2009). "Women Achievers rewarded". BusinessGhana. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ GNA (2011-10-15). "State honours heroes". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Dogbevi, Emmanuel (2011-10-15). "State honours heroes". Ghana Business News. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
- ^ Ghana News Agency (7 January 2009). "CV of the new Speaker - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
External links
- 1937 births
- Living people
- Ga-Adangbe people
- Ghanaian Roman Catholics
- Justices of the Supreme Court of Ghana
- Speakers of the Parliament of Ghana
- Members of the Inner Temple
- Ghanaian women judges
- People from Accra
- Women members of the Parliament of Ghana
- Women legislative speakers
- Alumni of Holy Child High School, Ghana
- 20th-century Ghanaian lawyers
- Ghanaian people of English descent