Former President John Dramani Mahama, has called for a change in the leadership of the country’s judiciary to repair what he describes as its broken image.
His statement, has since gotten a reply from the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) particularly the comments made against Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, who retires in May, next year at age 70.
Already, there are reports on the corridors of power that Justice Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi, a Supreme Court judge who trained in Akufo-Addo, Prempeh and Co law firm owned by the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, is next in line to succeed Justice Anin-Yeboah, as Chief Justice.
Alex Nartey, president of JUSAG, in an interview last Monday on Citi TV’s ‘Point of View’ programme stated that the political class was pushing a narrative that the judiciary was underdelivering on the expectations of Ghanaians – a view he does not share.
The president of JUSAG, explained that the Judiciary has at all times applied the laws of the country stressing that Chief Justice Anin-Yeboah has not bent the rules on its head during his tenure.
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He has, therefore, asked the former President to be fair with his criticism of the Chief Justice.
“The remarks, the statement creating the impression that our justice system, the Judiciary, is not living up to expectations is actually a concept that is being pushed by a political class and they are creating an impression as if it is the general position of the masses.
Mr Mahama, believes the current state of the judiciary has sunk so low that it has lost the trust and faith of the ordinary person.
“So badly has the image of our Judiciary deteriorated that many of our citizenry openly make mockery of our justice system and of our justices. The phrase ‘Go to Court’ is these days met with derisive laughter, instead of hope that one will truly get justice”.
“There is therefore the urgent need for the Ghanaian Judiciary to work to win the trust and confidence of the citizenry, and erase the widely held perception of hostility and political bias in legal proceedings at the highest courts of the land”, the former President suggested.
Mr Mahama, was addressing the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Lawyers’ Conference last Sunday, where he said the current leadership of the Judiciary, lacks the qualities to redeem its sunken image, hence the need for a new Chief Justice.
“Unfortunately, we have no hope that the current leadership of our Judiciary can lead such a process of change. We can only hope that a new Chief Justice will lead the process to repair the broken image that our Judiciary has acquired over the last few years”.
Alex Nartey, president of JUSAG, noted that “the remarks, the statement creating the impression that our justice system, the Judiciary, is not living up to expectations is actually a concept that is being pushed by a political class and they are creating an impression as if it is the general position of the masses.
“I think that such a statement is not fair to the judiciary and with the greatest respect to His Excellency the former President, I think he must be fair to the Chief Justice. As a rule of law, what do you expect from the judiciary? What you expect from the judiciary is a decision by the judiciary. A decision that is taken based upon the laws that are made by the people…that is Parliament.
“The Chief Justice since he took office has only applied the laws of the land. Has not changed any of our procedures. He has not altered any of the laws based upon which these decisions are taken,” Alex Nartey emphasized.
The former President, who also spoke on the prevailing economic hardship, tagged the NPP administration as the worst performing government in Ghana’s Fourth Republic.
The ex-President maintained that the NPP under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, should be solely held responsible for the current economic challenges confronting the country.
“Let me add without equivocation that [the NPP is] the government that has proven to be the greatest political scam in the history of the 4th Republic. By current indices, the Akufo-Addo and Bawumia NPP government remains the worst ever in the history of our 4th Republic”.
He described the economic challenges of the state as pitiable and unprecedented.
“Ghanaians are looking up to the NDC to restore hope and turn the fortunes of our motherland around from the pitiable state in which we currently find ourselves. At this time, Ghana, our motherland, is in deep crisis. Our economy is in a dire situation”.
“Our economic fortunes deteriorate with every passing day. Ghana is facing an unprecedented economic tailspin of runaway inflation, which is currently measured at above 30%; [and] a fast depreciating currency”, he lamented.
Ghana’s economy has struggled in 2022, with citizens enduring a high cost of living.
The government has started formal talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a support package.
Discussions have focused on improving fiscal balances sustainably while protecting the vulnerable and poor; ensuring the credibility of the monetary policy and exchange rate regimes; preserving financial sector stability, and designing reforms to enhance growth, create jobs, and strengthen governance.
At the program, the National Chairman of the party, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo lamented that members of the party have come under a lot of injustices in the last few years.
Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said the strongholds of the party have been a target of these unmerited attacks.
He cited the recent incident at Manya and Yilo Krobo as clear examples of his claims. He called on the legal practitioners in the party to avail themselves to fight the injustices.
“There have been issues of human rights abuses which are targeted at some of our people in our strongholds. The recent ones are what happened in the Yilo and Manya Krobo areas. Military officers were deployed to the area to unleash violence and brutalities on these innocent people. The narration from the people is most unfortunate, to say the least. These are strongholds of the NDC, and I think we have to send teams to support.”
