By Gifty Amofa
Accra, April 17, GNA – The Executive has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the independence of the Judiciary to enable it to deliver justice without fear or favour.
It said an independent judiciary remained central to protecting constitutional rule, promoting fairness and strengthening public confidence in the justice system.
Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Deputy Chief of Staff, said this at the launch of the Supreme Court’s 150th anniversary celebration in Accra.
“May the Supreme Court (SC) be guided by the sacred symbolism of holding aloft the scales of justice higher than power, higher than politics, higher than popularity and to do so without fear or favour, affection or ill-will,” she stated.
Madam Bampoe Addo said the Court must remain the final safeguard against arbitrariness, abuse of power and erosion of constitutional values, while expanding access to justice for vulnerable groups, including women, persons with disability and the poor.
“Slow justice is expensive justice, and expensive justice is the one that only a few can reach,” she said, and urged the adoption of technology to reduce delays in hearings and delivery of judgments.
The Deputy Chief of Staff stressed the need to strengthen public trust in the judiciary and promote legal literacy to enable citizens better understand and access justice.
“Our jurisprudence must never become rigid or closed to developments elsewhere, not so opened that it loses its grounding in Ghanaian values, culture and experience. We can learn from others without losing ourselves,” she said.
Chief Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, in his remarks, called for reforms to ensure faster, more accessible and transparent justice delivery.
“After 150 years, we must ask ourselves honestly: Are we where we should be? Should congestions and delays still burden our courts? Should we still lean so heavily on manual processes in a digital age? Should access to justice in too many cases still hinge on geography, cost or time?” he asked.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said initiatives such as the E-justice system and extended court sittings were being implemented to reduce delays and improve efficiency, while infrastructure and security were being strengthened to support justice delivery.
Activities marking the anniversary include public lectures, a documentary on the Court’s history from 1876 to date, and legal aid outreach to underserved communities.
The event was attended by representatives of Parliament, the Deputy Attorney-General, former Chief Justices, Justices of the Supreme Court, members of the Bar, Ministers of State, traditional leaders and other dignitaries.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey