SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE HONOURABLE LADY CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA, JUSTICE GERTRUDE SACKEY TORKORNOO, AT THE SWEARING IN OF 23 MAGISTRATES Date: Monday, 4th March, 2024 Venue: Auditorium, Law Court Complex, Accra
Source: judicial_service_of_ghana
Date: 2024-03-07

SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE HONOURABLE LADY CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA, JUSTICE GERTRUDE SACKEY TORKORNOO, AT THE SWEARING IN OF 23 MAGISTRATES Date: Monday, 4 th March, 2024 Venue: Auditorium, Law Court Complex, Accra My Lords, Justices of the Supreme Court My Lords Justices of the Superior Courts of Judicature The Judicial Secretary Honourable Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice Your Honors and Worships The President of the Greater Accra Regional Bar representing National President of the Ghana Bar Association Your Worships Distinguished Invited Guests Ladies and Gentlemen Good morning It is my joy to welcome you today for this very important occasion. Thank you for joining us for this significant milestone in the lives of our new magistrates. The addition to our ranks of a fresh batch of Magistrates will be a boost to the cause of justice delivery and I would like to congratulate all the new Magistrates on their elevation and welcome them to the bench from where we serve our nation. The path to this day has by no means been easy and I would like to think that the grit and determination you have shown are an indicator of the qualities that you will bring to your duties as Magistrates. I would also like to thank the various institutions of training and certification that help us, year in year out, to produce new and qualified personnel to play their role in the critical task of justice delivery. Your work is of the greatest importance, especially in ensuring that the Judiciary has the quality that is needed on the Bench and at various levels in the justice delivery system. Ladies and gentlemen, while it is a self-evident fact, it bears repeating that society cannot survive without the fair and rigorous application of a standard and predictable system of laws and rules. I reiterate this fact to remind all of us of the necessity and nobility of the calling of the Judge. The peace and stability that the nation enjoys and take pride in, is sustained in large part, by the confidence citizens have in the durability of the legal regime. A robust Judiciary needs, in equal measure, quality laws and quality judges and magistrates to discharge its constitutional mandate. The job of the Judge is to lead the various actors in the courtroom in the united pursuit of truth and justice, guided by the principles of equity and fairness. I urge you, new Magistrates, to be mindful of the oaths you have taken and stay faithful to the solemn promises you have made to your nation, your fellow citizens and your God. Integrity, Propriety, Independence, Competence. The stuck truth is that the position of a Magistrate is above all else, a moral calling. We are called on to navigate and discern from the strongly held and passionately argued positions before us, that which is true, right and just using rules and law in all honesty. In doing this, judges are expected to ignore and erase personal feelings and biases. It is not of a Judge job to please, but if done right, judicial decisions must bring satisfaction. This requires extreme dedication, integrity and unyielding adherence to principle. Having come this far, it is my expectation that you are aware of this weight that you must bear and it is my fervent hope that you are prepared and will not, for any reason, yield under this weight. As Chief Justice, I have committed myself and my tenure to the improvement of the overall Conditions of justice delivery by our institution to the public, the citizens of this country, for whose sake the administration of justice has been entrusted to the Judiciary by the 1992 Constitution. The wheels of justice may seem to grind slowly but they must be helped along with the right activation of systems put in place by the Rules of Court, practices of the court, and administrative instructions. This commitment must manifest itself in the efforts of all judges to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of the processes we engage in. It also means that as administration, we must commit ourselves to the training and retraining of Judges, staff, and everyone involved in justice delivery. I am encouraged by the fact that some of you here today were previously Career Magistrates who have taken advantage to study for the Bar and are today fully qualified to preside over District Courts. As you may be aware, a few years ago, previous rules meant that a Career Magistrate could not move further up the ladder; but that has changed, and now many more can reach further up the career path. This, I am convinced should bring a boost to the quality of the Service and a welcome opening for many of our Career Magistrates. I urge you to continue on the path of learning, because this career is an academic and intellectual one. Ensure that you remain abreast of the ever evolving trends of the legal and judicial procedures and practice, and their operation with and through technology. Through these and other efforts, you can contribute your required quota to a relevant Judicial Service that answers the call that the nation makes on us to preserve its peace, strengthen its security and enhance its prosperity. Thank you all for coming and may God bless us all and our efforts. Prev Next