REMARKS BY THE HON. LADY CHIEF JUSTICE, JUSTICE GERTRUDE SACKEY TORKORNOO, AT A SEND-OFF DINNER HELD IN HONOUR OF 15 RETIRED JUSTICES OF THE COURT OF APPEAL AND HIGH COURT, ON THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023 AT THE ALISA HOTEL, RIDGE- ACCRA
Source: judicial_service_of_ghana
Date: 2023-08-09

REMARKS BY THE HON. LADY CHIEF JUSTICE, JUSTICE GERTRUDE SACKEY TORKORNOO, AT A SEND-OFF DINNER HELD IN HONOUR OF 15 RETIRED JUSTICES OF THE COURT OF APPEAL AND HIGH COURT, ON THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2023 AT THE ALISA HOTEL, RIDGE- ACCRA My Lords Justices of the Supreme Court My Lord Justices of the Superior Courts of Judicature The Judicial Secretary The National President of the Ghana Bar Association Members of the Judicial Council Members of the General Legal Council Our Celebrants – 5 Retired Justices of the Court of Appeal and 10 Justices of the High Court Family and Friends of our Celebrants Directors and Staff of the Judicial Service Distinguished Invited Guests Ladies and Gentlemen Good evening, Thank you all for joining us today to honour 15 Justices of the Court of Appeal and the High Court who have retired from the family of the Judicial Service of Ghana. I am grateful for the opportunity to share a few words on this special occasion. In 2009, President of the United States of America, Barack Obama addressed a Special Session of our National Legislature and famously urged us to build strong institutions rather than strong men. This piece of advice, meant for all of Africa, was obviously timely and well-intentioned. However, I believe that the commentary around it ignored the obvious corollary, that, strong institutions have to be built by strong characters. Because it takes people of strong character, some of them anonymous officials manning small local institutions, to ensure the integrity of the national institutions and the preservation of the society and its prosperity. As we seek to build our democracy, Ghana needs people of strong integrity and high ethical conduct to ensure survival of the nation. The Judiciary, in particular, needs men and women such as these. To retain the trust and confidence of the people, critical elements for the survival of any judicial institution, we need all officers at all levels to display integrity, honour and fairness. It is 15 of such individuals that we celebrate today. They have served their country well, promoted the course of justice and expanded the rights of their fellow citizens. Men and women who have displayed strength and demonstrated tremendous insight and excellence in their work on the Bench. These 15 gentlemen and ladies have shown the spirit that animated the founding fathers in their quest for a nation that was not just free, but guaranteed justice to all of its citizens. We cannot thank them enough. This ceremony, and our little presentations are therefore an attempt to express the gratitude and appreciation we have for your service. Obviously, it in no way adequately expresses or is commensurate with the actual impact that you have had on this country and your colleagues still in the Service. However, we hope that it will demonstrate our great regard for you and serve as a reminder of the pleasure we have felt working with you. In your retirement, you retain the continuing admiration and respect of your colleagues in the Service and the gratitude of the entire nation. Even though your time in the Service is at an end, I believe that you can and will remain very helpful to the Service. Let us continue to benefit from your accrued knowledge and experience through either formal or informal means. The rest of us still in the Service will more than appreciate your insight. Above all, however, I wish you a blissful retirement. May God continue to bless and keep you. You have played your part in building our nation and bringing justice to your compatriots. We could not have asked for more. May God bless our country with more citizens of your calibre. I thank you for your attention. Prev Next