The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says the outgoing Chief Justice (CJ), Kwasi Anin Yeboah, has been effective and also brought honour to the Judiciary.
According to the President, under his tenure as the CJ, he has “jealously” guarded the independence of the Judiciary, stating that it was “important” for the spirit of the country to recognise his service.
President Akufo-Addo joined the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) at the Kempinski Hotel, Accra, last Friday evening for a farewell dinner the Association held in honour of their leader, Kwasi Anin Yeboah, who retires on Wednesday, May 24, 2023.
President Akufo-Addo said the tenure of CJ Anin Yeboah had been characterised by exceptional achievements, which he hopes his successors would build on.
“It is important for the spirit of our country that we recognise and acknowledge exceptional service to our nation, and that is what Chief Justice Kwesi Anin Yeboah has rendered to the Ghanaian nation and people.
“The 14th Chief Justice in our nation’s independent history and the 2nd appointed within my term of office, his has been an outstanding career that has seen him rise to its greatest heights in his later years,” President Akufo-Addo said.
“Within this time, he has been an effective leader of the Judiciary. He has guarded jealously its independence, and by his conduct and comportment, he has brought honour to the judiciary and to our country,” Akufo-Addo added.
END OF TIME
Justice Anin Yeboah began his journey in the legal profession on November 20, 1981; he got elevated to the bench in 2002; his investiture as the CJ was on January 7, 2020; and he retires on May 24, 2023.
In his remarks, the President of the GBA, Yaw Acheampong Boafo, paid glowing tribute to the CJ for what he says was his unwavering support for the association during his term in office.
He relied on the scripture in Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 and 11 (KJV), which says to talk about everything having its own time.
“This evening is the time for the GBA to formally bid him farewell. Without any smidgen of doubt, we can say God has made his time to be exceptionally beautiful and remarkable,” Mr. Boafo said.
“If there ever was a Chief Justice to whom the Bar can claim ‘ownership’ thereof, it is certainly Justice Anin Yeboah, since his judicial destiny is clearly interwoven in the tapestry of diligent and outstanding service to the Ghana Bar,” Mr. Acheampong Boafo said.
The BAR Association also presented Justice Anin Yeboah with a citation. The citation read in part: “As a judge, you distinguished yourself. You discharged your duties with dedication, honesty, and a sense of justice. You have, through your various decisions, contributed immensely to the strengthening of the democratic enterprise under the 1992 Constitution.”
GRATITUDE
After receiving the citation, Chief Justice Anin Yeboah registered his appreciation to the BAR Association for honouring him in the manner they have. He thanked the BAR for nominating him to be appointed to the bench in 2002 after several years of private practice at the BAR.
He also singled out for mention former Chief Justice Georgina T. Wood for teaching him judicial administration during her tenure as Chief Justice.
To one lawyer, Yaw Barimah, whom the outgoing CJ referred to as his senior, he thanked him for his guidance during the very formative years of his career as a lawyer.
Again, CJ Anin Yeboah told the gathering that during his term as CJ, he had a lot of cooperation from his fellow Justices of the Supreme Court, for which he was grateful.
To President Akufo-Addo, in whose tenure he was nominated and appointed CJ, Justice Anin Yeboah expressed his appreciation to the President for appointing him and for the support of the Executive, which culminated in the several infrastructure achievements associated with his tenure as Chief Justice.
