President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged Judges to dispense justice without fear or favour and without recourse to the political, religious, or ethnic affiliation of any citizen who falls foul of the law.
He said the growth of the nation depends on a judiciary that commands the respect of the people by the nature of its delivery of justice and by the comportment of its judges.
“When a person falls foul of the law, we expect the person to be dealt with accordingly, and the law enforcement agencies, including the superior courts of the adjudicator, must ensure this is done,” the President stated.
“We cannot have a development that brings jobs to our youth without order,” he indicated, adding that, Judges, however, must be honest, possess integrity and have a sound knowledge of the law.
President Akufo-Addo who made these observations when he swore into office, six Judges of the Court of Appeal, said it was reassuring to have judges of such disposition.
The Judges inducted into office are, Justice George Koomson, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Justice Novisi Afua Aryene.
The rest are; Justice Eric Baah, Justice Richard Adjei Frimpong and Miss Cynthia Pamela Akotoaa Addo.
At separate ceremonies at the Jubilee House on Friday, President Akufo-Addo administered the Judicial, Secrecy and Allegiance oaths.
Congratulating them on their appointments, the President described them as “eminently fit and qualified for the position of Justices of the Court of Appeal and have the impartiality of mind and independence of spirit to hold this high office.”
President Akufo-Addo applauded the efforts of the Legislature and the Judiciary for keeping Parliament and the justice system functioning effectively as the coronavirus pandemic raged.
He said it was comforting that the leadership of institutions of the state — Executive, Legislature and Judiciary — with due regards to COVID-19 safety protocols, were providing the requisite leadership to steer the population through the crisis that has wreaked havoc on the lives and livelihoods of peoples.
President Akufo-Addo reminded the justices of the superior court of the adjudicator that, the 1992 Constitution placed on them the onerous responsibility to protect and defend the individual liberties and fundamental human rights of citizens and promote the orderly development of the country.
He stressed on the situation where judges preferred judgements on the basis of decisions from lower courts and cited them as law and gave orders without reason was not acceptable, saying, “You must be learned, know your case law and ensure your decisions and judgements are properly motivated”.
On the e-Justice system instituted by the government, President Akufo-Addo urged the judges to leverage on it to bridge the technology gap, to expedite and aid the efficient delivery of justice to build confidence in citizens, businesses, and the investor community.
“We know that harnessing the power of technology to advance the rule of law is critical in the modern era if we are to maintain the confidence of the Ghanaian people and shore up our nation’s reputation as a country governed in accordance with the rule of law.
Justice George Koomson, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, thanked the President for the confidence reposed in them and assured that they would live up to the responsibility entrusted on them.
“We would like to assure your Presidency and the good people of Ghana that we will continue to protect the rights and liberties of the people with dignity, honesty and integrity,” he said.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD