ghananlpcommunity/ghana-gov-speeches-sentences huggingface dataset:
There is a tendency of talking the talk but not always walking the walk.
I have observed with admiration and commendation that the Judicial Service has since the last Forum in Kumasi created a Works Department with core units dedicated to the management of hard and soft facilities.
It is therefore not surprising that we are seeing some very modern court and residential structures.
I am particularly happy that some creativity is applied to the soft facilities.
This is a novelty and a positive development.
The Court of Appeal Complex, with its modern facilities is equally refreshing and we are proud to have it located in Kumasi.
I have also noted the new High Court in Obuasi, and the District Court in Asante Mampong.
However, the undue delay of some construction projects particularly in the Ashanti Region is worrying, typically, the redevelopment of some old residential bungalows at Danyame into modern facilities which started in 2011.
We need more concrete results on the ground.
We must take individual and organizational responsibility for ensuring that we put in places the right structures and systems to enhance access to justice.
It goes without saying that all these improvements require money.
The irony is that while the courts are seriously engaged in some types of money making ventures in the form of fines and fees imposed, the Judiciary is denied the wherewithal with which to implement the reforms on physical structures which are so badly needed.
The people of our country and all beneficiaries for whom the courts are operated no doubt support the special appeal to the Government to allow the Judiciary to spend one hundred per cent of the Internally Generated Funds (popularly called IGF) that come from court operations for the obvious reason that the funds will support the Judiciary in its efforts to improve the system which will be for the benefit of all of us.
Your Ladyship, it is obvious that the theme for this year’s forum is centred on the quality of justice.
Considering recent happenings in the Judiciary and the courts, a better theme could not have been selected.
Quality justice is an essential component of the rule of law.
By convention, judicial activity is assessed by reference to the inherent quality of judicial decisions, namely the quality of their reasoning and the expedition with which those decisions are delivered.
I have learnt that quality is an established element in the system of court management and control.
Countries such as Sweden and Netherlands have developed and implemented quality management systems to improve judicial quality which deserve to be emulated.
The reality of life is that justice should always be regarded as being administered on behalf of the people of this country.
The 1992 constitution, Article 125 emphasizes this by the provision in Article 125(1) which states that: “Justice emanates from the people and shall be administered in the name of the Republic by the judiciary ….”
The people on whose behalf you are administering justice must always be taken into account.
No matter what view is held of judges, it cannot be denied that the Judiciary has no control over how we feel or what ought not to be felt, what to perceive and what ought not to be perceived, what to hear or what ought not to be heard and what to believe and what ought not to be believed.
But there are reasonable standards that all right thinking people are expected to exhibit.
The quality of justice is what citizens feel out of litigation, their wishes and their aspirations.
The quality of justice cannot be considered in the abstract.
It must necessarily be related to the people for whom justice is delivered.
We are at the receiving end for which justice is intended to serve.
It is the standard of the beneficiaries of justice that the quality is measured.
Whether what the judge does in his justice delivery functions is qualitative or not is determined by us, the beneficiaries.
In this Forum, it is expected that time will be devoted to developing benchmarks for the Bench.
Whatever benchmarks you develop should largely take into account the responsiveness of your functions to the needs, requirements and expectations of the consumers who are the people of this country or the court users.
In this exercise, you are to bear in mind that the court users are external evaluators of what you do in the performance of your functions.
To ignore us amounts to failure to deliver justice because you cannot judge yourselves.
Whatever benchmarks you establish in pursuit of quality justice, prominence should be given to the expeditious disposal of cases for “Justice delayed is justice denied”.
If someone steals a goat and is fined GHS 5,000.00, and additionally slapped with a jail term, how can people invade a courtroom, over power the security, release suspects and put the life of the judge and staff in danger, and as their punishment they are fined only GHS 1,800 and are discharged.
Has justice been served and if even it has been served the question may be asked: whether the quality of justice was served: Quality justice for whom?
If such judgments come from the courts, how can you prevent people from questioning the quality of justice delivered by our judges?
Unfortunately for you, it takes only one case or very few cases for the quality of justice that you profess to deliver to be thrown to the wind.
As you are all aware, the case under reference took place in this capital where this year’s forum takes place and cannot be ignored.
I hope and pray that by the end of this Forum, the exact ramifications of quality justice will be more meaningfully appreciated so that we can all be witnesses to the realization of the theme of “Quality judges delivering quality judgments” May I once again welcome all of you to the Garden City and wish you fruitful deliberations.
OTUMFUO OSEI TUTU II ASANTEHENE Prev Next
New Year Message from Her Ladyship The Chief Justice, Justice Sophia A.B.
Akuffo The year 2018 presents an opportunity for the Judiciary to renew its commitment to the highest standards of judicial quality and output.
It is for good reason that our theme for the 2017-2018 Legal Year is “Quality Judges, Delivering Quality Justice”.
As the third arm of State, we must endeavour at all times to be scrupulous and not capricious in the application of judicial discretion.
We have to be keenly aware and judicially and socially conscious of the impact of our decisions on the larger society and the environment, if our judgments are to stand the test of relevancy.
It is my expectation that in 2018, our Environmental Courts will hand down decisions that will provide the strongest indication of our commitment to the fight against illegal extraction of natural resources and other human activities detrimental to our environment.
We have a duty to ensure that our decisions have a positive impact on the society we serve.
Our application of the law must be totally devoid of absurdity.
The impact and effectiveness of our output must lead to judicial outcomes that provide assurance of law and order in this country.
It is important not only for the institution but also for our democracy and the health of our nation.
In the year 2018, we should exceed all expectations by delivering quality judgments and orders and working optimally through effective case management to produce excellence at all levels of Court.
I am confident that with the support of Court and administrative staff, working diligently and with focus and purpose, we will together, give the people of Ghana the quality justice they deserve and expect from us.
I wish you all a productive and successful 2018!
Afrihyiapa!
I am delighted to be here this morning for the inauguration of the District Court for the people of Sowutuom and the entire Ga Central Municipality.
I thank you all distinguished personalities, for taking time out of your busy schedules to join us in this brief but memorable ceremony.
In accordance with Section 10, (3) (g) of the Local Governance Act, 1993 (Act 462), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies are responsible for the assurance of “ready access to Courts in the district for the promotion of justice”.
This clearly, calls for the provision of courthouses to satisfy the justice needs of each district, as well as suitable residential accommodation for Magistrates/Judges.
The Ga Central Assembly therefore deserves commendation for providing this courthouse; made up of a Court Room, Chambers and offices for the Recorder, Registrar, Cashier and Bailiff, and washrooms for staff and court users.
I am glad to note also, that there is a cell provided for the court, not forgetting the decent residential accommodation provided for the Magistrate who will be in charge of this court.
The Judicial Service of Ghana, as part of its extensive medium to long term reforms, has made significant efforts at addressing the challenges which impede effective justice delivery.
This necessitated the closure of a number of courts, particularly in the Greater Accra region, to ensure that courthouses are built and or given the necessary facelift to create a conducive working environment for court business.
The Judicial Service of Ghana will continue to remind the MMDAs of their obligation to ensure that all who seek justice and or administer justice at the district level are not denied their constitutional right of having a befitting environment to cater for their justice needs.
The significance of today’s inauguration lies in the fact, that it is a step further to ensuring that justice can, and will be accessed, at the doorstep of citizens in and around Sowutuom.
This building symbolizes the rule of law, and as such, the sitting Magistrate is expected to dispense justice without fear or favour, affection or ill will.
I am equally happy to know that provision has been made in this courthouse to offer ADR services to the people of Ga Central, covering close to ten communities including Sowutuom, Awoshie, Anyaa, Ablekuma, Santa Maria, Nii Okaiman West, Nii Okaiman East, Kwashiebu and Lomnava.
I urge members of the public/litigants and the Bar to fully patronize the Court Connected Alternative Dispute Resolution (CCADR) Programme.
There is no denying the fact that ADR has proven to be speedy, cheaper and less laborious, as compared to the formal adversarial traditional court system.
To the Magistrate and court officials, I entreat you to exhibit a high sense of professionalism.
And to the public, never hesitate to report any member of the Judiciary or court staff who makes any unlawful demands, in performing his or her judicial duties, for disciplinary action to be taken against that person or group of persons.
Let me end by once again, commending the Ga Central Municipal Assembly, the traditional authorities, as well as all those who worked behind the scenes to make this event a reality.
It is now my pleasure, to declare this courthouse duly inaugurated.
God bless our homeland Ghana and make her great and strong.
I am pleased to be with you this morning to inaugurate the renovated Courthouse, i.e the District Court for the people of Manso Adubia and the entire Amansie South District of the Ashanti Region.
I appreciate the presence of distinguished personalities who have taken time out of their busy schedules to share in this occasion.
By the Local Governance Act 1993, (Act 462) Section 10, (3) (g) the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies ‘shall ensure ready access to courts in the district for the promotion of justice.’
I therefore commend the Amansie South District Assembly, for living up to its responsibility and providing a decent and safe environment for quality justice delivery, and temporary accommodation for the Magistrate.
Let me also commend the traditional authorities for their support in the conversion of an existing building into a courthouse.
This courthouse no doubt is a welcome development for residents of Manso Adubia, the Amansie South District, the entire people of Ashanti and Ghana as a whole.
It will not only make justice meaningful, accessible and quick, but also add to the number of District Courts, and personnel of the Judicial Service nationwide, to achieve the objective of timely quality justice at the grassroots level, as well as help mitigate the Service’s infrastructural challenges.
It is very much in order, to note, that the courthouse comprises a Large Courtroom, Chambers for the Magistrate, a Registrar’s Office, a Recorder’s Office, a Cashier’s Office, an Office for the Docket Clerk and a General Office.
I am informed that a new District Police Headquarters building is in close proximity to this courthouse.
This I expect to translate into improvement in safeguarding the Court, to ensure that the Magistrate, the staff and indeed members of the public have a safe environment to do court business.
After today’s inauguration, I expect that the justice needs of this growing district will be met in a timely manner.
The Judicial Service on its part will ensure that the building and its facilities are maintained to justify the investment made by the Assembly.
I want to use this opportunity to remind the Magistrate and staff who will be working here, that I expect the highest form of professionalism in the discharge of your duties.
Do not extort money from persons who patronize the services of the court.
Do not engage in any act that will bring the administration of justice into disrepute.
You will not be spared when you are caught in any act of misconduct.
I also want to encourage you to be firm, but fair, and to treat all persons you come across in the discharge your duties, with the utmost respect.
This building represents your office, where you will spend most of your time working for mother Ghana.
Do your part to maintain it, by ensuring that it is always in good shape, and its facilities operate with optimum efficiency.
I appeal to you also, the people, who would patronize our services, not to bribe or influence any Judge/Magistrate or staff, with any gifts and or money.
To conclude, I would like to once again thank the Assembly for remodeling this courthouse.
Thank you to everyone for being present at this inauguration and for your support in making this day a reality.
It is now my pleasure to declare this District Court, Manso Adubia, duly inaugurated and opened for use.
Date: September 29, 2021 Venue: Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra Theme: “The Quandary of the Judge in the Digital World’.
The President of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana The Hon.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice The National President of the Ghana Bar Association Members of the Judiciary Members of the Ghana Bar Distinguished Invited Guests Our Friends from the Media Ladies and Gentlemen It is a great pleasure and privilege to be here with you all today for the Annual General Meeting of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana.
None of us can be in any doubt about the critical roles this Association, as the umbrella group for our cherished profession, plays in the delivery of justice in our country.
Through the Association and at events such as this conference where we all meet, we can pursue the cause of self-improvement and mutual cooperation that will make us all better agents in the delivery of justice in our country.
Today is of even greater significance personally because for the first time ever, I speak to you as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana.
From among you, I have been privileged to be called to lead our efforts to bring peace, freedom and justice to all of our fellow citizens.
It is a duty that I accept with all humility and with a solemn realization of the weight that responsibility imposes on me.
Let me also add that I am also keenly aware of my roots in this organization and of my ties to all gathered here and I can assure you that while I remain Chief Justice, the interests of Judges and Magistrates in Ghana will never be ignored.
It will be recalled that we are only meeting thus for the first time because last year, the Covid-19 pandemic prevented us from assembling so closely together.
We can all be thankful that the threat has receded just enough for us to meet, while realising that it is still present enough to necessitate our observation of all the necessary protocols.
We can also be proud of how the Judicial Service of Ghana has addressed this threat.
With a mixture of ingenious management of personnel, an adequate supply of sanitary tools and above all, the use of technology, we managed to limit the risk to Staff, Lawyers and the general public who needed to interact with our justice system.
All of us here deserve congratulations for cooperating with these measures and ensuring that our measures had the desired effect.
I am glad to see that the Association, in cognisance of the exigencies of this moment, chose to reflect, in this conference, on the “Quandary of the Judge in the Digital World”.
Indeed, the digital world will increasingly become the space in which justice is delivered.
For us in Ghana, the application of digital tools in the delivery of justice was a course on which we had been, sometime before Covid-19 struck.
So, to our credit, we were better prepared than some of our compatriots when the need came for us to adopt innovative ways to keep the wheels of justice in motion.
I hope that during this conference, guided by the excellent resource persons that will be leading the relevant deliberations, we can find ways of applying digital tools much more effectively in our work.
The Judicial Service of Ghana, which I am privileged to lead, recognises the critical role it plays in keeping our democracy on course.
It also, in line with this, appreciates that our Judges and Magistrates are essential, indeed the sine qua non of justice delivery in our country.
This is why we are doing our very best to ensure that Judges and Magistrates around this country are well equipped and catered for, in and out of the courtroom, to ensure that they are able to discharge their duties with the greatest efficiency.
It is important, the Service recognises, for the administration of justice to be conducted in an environment that is safe and conducive.
The provision and improvement of physical infrastructure has thus been a focus of the Service for the last few years.
In October 2020, in keeping with the Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936) Section 12, (3) (h) which enjoins the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to ‘ensure ready access to courts in the district for the promotion of justice.’
the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) commenced the construction of Courthouses and residential facilities for the Judiciary.
In total, some 90 Courthouses and 121 residential facilities are being constructed nationwide with funding support from the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF).
The Judicial Service is keenly following this process to ensure that it is delivered on time and up to the standard that we require.
Our vision is for all Courthouses in this country to be safe, convenient and fit for the purpose of justice delivery and we will not rest until we have achieved it.
You will be happy to observe, I am sure, that this project also included residential facilities for Judges and Magistrates.
It is not enough, obviously, for Judges and Magistrates to have proper facilities for work and not be as well served, when they close from work and go home.
In particular, this project will result in permanent accommodation for Justices of Appeal in the Northern Sector including the Ashanti Region.
Of course, this is not to say that those are the only areas with accommodation problems.
Let me assure you all, that, the Service will not relent until all our Judges and Magistrates are properly accommodated.
We are grateful to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), who appreciated our need and has been working closely with us to revamp judicial infrastructure around the country.
The current nationwide project, which covers the six (6) recently created regions as well, comprises 7 High Courts, 83 Lower Courts, 20 townhouses for Court of Appeal Judges in the Northern Sector at Danyame (in Kumasi), and 101 three- bedroom residential accommodation for Judges/Magistrates.
The Kumasi project also consists of a nine-bedroom Guesthouse, Clubhouse, a Swimming Pool, and two (2) Tennis Courts.
All projects will be complemented by boreholes, solar installations, and be fully furnished accordingly.
Construction is ongoing simultaneously at the selected project sites (though with different start dates, and are at various stages of completion).
We expect to take over 19 of the courthouses by 31 st October 2021 for inauguration, while the remaining projects will be completed by the end of the 2021/22 Legal Year.
In addition, we are also tracking the construction of 10 additional Courts by selected Municipal/ District Assemblies, seven (7) of which are Municipalities/ Districts without Courts.
It is worth emphasising that this nationwide intervention on judicial infrastructure is unprecedented in the history of the Judiciary, and I want to take this opportunity to thank the Government of Ghana for the bold steps it has taken to address the huge infrastructural deficit.
We are also working to improve security at court premises.
The procurement process for close circuit television cameras has begun and will soon be ready for implementation.
Cameras, once installed, will cover the blind spots at the Law Court Complex for a start, with others installed in selected areas of the Child Friendly Courts spread across the country.
We expect implementation of this project, which we are undertaking with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund, in the case of the Child Friendly Courts, to be fully completed by the end of October this year.
I am also happy to report that we are undertaking a number of measures to improve and secure the welfare of Judges and Magistrates.
In the area of health, we will be facilitating periodic medical screenings for all Judges and Magistrates, to detect any possible challenges early enough to address them with greater chance of success.
A Judicial Service Clinic in Kumasi was inaugurated in November last year, following its refurbishment and upgrading, to add to the one in Accra.
In addition, we are seriously considering the possibility of establishing another clinic in Sekondi to serve members in that part of the country.
We are also continuing with the implementation of the retirement package for Judges and Magistrates that was instituted by my immediate predecessor, Her Ladyship Justice Sophia Akuffo.
We can therefore all be certain that at the end of our service, we will receive the prescribed rewards, which include cash amounts and other gifts, depending of course, on the length of service.
You will also be happy to hear, dear colleagues, that our 1 st and 2 nd Quarter allowances have been released by the Ministry of Finance.
The Judicial Service has processed the 1 st Quarter to the Controller and Accountant General’s Department for the money to be paid into the Judicial Service’s Account through the Bank of Ghana.
Unfortunately, the Book and Robe Allowances are however yet to be released by the Ministry of Finance through the Goods and Services budgetary allocation for the 3 rd Quarter but you can be rest assured that we will work tirelessly to ensure that it is released very soon.
Members who occupy the Lower Benches should also be assured that a proposal for an increase in their salaries has been agreed to, by the Judicial Council and submitted to the Presidency, from which we are awaiting what will hopefully be a very positive response.
For all of us, I again bear some good news, that, a contract has been awarded for the procurement of vehicles and delivery will commence in the middle of next month.
Our collaboration with and the cooperation we are receiving from the Government of Ghana and various local and international bodies speak to our revered position in the Republic.
It is a recognition that we must bear with humility and solemnity and to be reminded of every day, when we attend to the business of justice.