President John Dramani Mahama has called for firm protection of Ghana’s judiciary from political interference, economic manipulation, and public intimidation, describing an independent judiciary as critical to the country’s democracy and development.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of seven newly appointed Supreme Court justices in Accra on Thursday, July 3, the President said: “We must protect our courts from political interference, economic manipulation, and public intimidation. An independent judiciary is not a threat to government. It is a partner in nation building.”
President Mahama emphasised the urgent need to restore public confidence in the judicial system, which he noted has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years.
“The erosion of public trust in our state institutions reflects a crisis of confidence that must be addressed with truth and urgency,” he said. “However, this moment also presents us with an opportunity… to reaffirm the judiciary’s independence, to rebuild its reputation, and to restore the people’s faith in the rule of law.”
The President charged the new justices to uphold the principles of fairness, impartiality, integrity, and courage. He reminded them that their role was not only legal but moral, requiring them to be sensitive to the needs of the most vulnerable.
“You are called not merely to interpret the law, but to embody its highest ideals… You are expected to serve not as arbiters of technicalities, but as stewards of justice and conscience,” he said.
President Mahama reiterated that access to justice must not be a privilege for the few, but a right for all citizens.
“In our Reset Republic, access to justice must not depend on status or wealth… We are building a new Ghana; one where our institutions work, leadership listens, and merit is rewarded, and justice is blind not to truth, but blind to bias,” he added.
He pledged that his government would implement key reforms under the Reset Agenda, including the digitalisation of court processes, improvement of court infrastructure, expansion of legal aid, and strengthening of judicial ethics and training.
President Mahama also referenced the upcoming report of the H. Chrissy Pempey Constitutional Review Committee, expressing hope that it would contain far-reaching recommendations to make the judiciary more effective and just.
“Let your legacy be measured in volumes of law reports, the lives you touched, the precedents you set, and the public trust that you preserved,” he told the new justices.
He concluded with a call for all Ghanaians to uphold the values of patriotism, fairness, and service: “We must all play our part, whether in public office or private enterprise, in the media or the marketplace, in the courtroom or the classroom. We are all stewards of our national patriotism.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Risa Wyettey Cofie
