President John Dramani Mahama has urged newly appointed Justices of the Court of Appeal to guard against judicial cynicism and the corrosive belief that the courts no longer serve the people, but only the powerful in society.
He said to rebuild trust, the courts must demonstrate in word and in deed that justice is not compromised by status, wealth, or political convenience.
“So to you, our new justices, I say, let your judgments not silence criticism, but inspire confidence in our people. Let your judgments reassure Ghanaians that while we may debate outcomes, we can never doubt your integrity, your impartiality, and your fidelity to the national constitution,” he entreated.
President Mahama gave this advice at the Presidency in Accra yesterday when he swore in 21 Justices to the Court of Appeal.
According to President Mahama, the courts in recent times have not escaped the criticism of citizens, and sometimes judicial decisions harshly questioned.
Those criticisms of judgments, he said, must not be the end of hope but rather evidence of hope as same indicate that Ghanaians still believed in the courts, that justice still matters, and that verdicts have meaning in their lives.
For many Ghanaians, President Mahama noted that the Court of Appeal is often the last hope for justice, when all other avenues have been exhausted.
“And that is why the authority you assume today is not only legal, but profoundly moral. You hold in your hands the power to heal wounds, to restore confidence, and to guide our nation towards fairness,” he counseled.
He said, government’s reset agenda is not only about rebuilding infrastructure or expanding the economy but also about fostering a more inclusive society and renewing institutions, restoring the faith of the people in the pillars of democracy.
“A judiciary that delivers swift, fair, and transparent justice is a cornerstone of this reset that we talk about. And that is why our manifesto commits us to reforms that will make justice more efficient and accessible to our people.”
To this end, he said digitising the courts, creating specialised divisions at the High Court and Court of Appeal to handle land disputes, commercial cases, and labor matters which too often drag on for many years, introducing time-bound case management systems and expanding legal aid services, were high on the reset agenda with respect to the judiciary.
He observed that investors will not risk their capital where contracts can be overturned by bias and prejudice, or neither would entrepreneurs thrive where land disputes trap them in endless litigation nor communities live in peace where verdicts are held in doubt.
On behalf of the new Court of Appeal Justices, His Lordship, Justice Justin Kofi Dorgu, pledged to discharge their duties with integrity, assuring that “we shall uphold independence of the judiciary”.
The rest of the Justices are Daniel Mensah (Dormaahene), George Buadi, Olivia Obeng Owusu, John Bosco Nabarese, Jennifer Anne Myers Ahmed, Emmanuel Senyo Amedahe, Kwasi Anokye Gyimah, Dr Richmond Osei-Hwere, Francis Apangano Achibonga, Ali Baba Abature, Abena Asuamah Oppong, Mariama Sammo, Mary Maame Ekua Yanzuh, Ayitey Armah-Tetteh, Charity Akosua Asem, Enyonam Adinyira, Sheila Minta, Douglas Seidu, Charles Adjei Wilson and Mrs Franklina Gesila Adanu
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
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