Samuel Afotey Otu, President of Judicial Service Staff Association (JUSAG), has called for the intensification of security at the various courts, following recent attacks on the third arm of government.
“…let us enhance security in our courts to protect and safeguard staff, judges and magistrates, and our clients. The recent incident of attack at the Tamale District Court is a wakeup call on the Service to relook at our security protocols. It also sends a signal that all employees of the Service are at risk. And with this inherent risk, provision of risk allowance should not be seen as too much for staff,” he charged.
Mr. Afotey Otu made this call at the 2023 Judicial Service Staff Durbar and Open Forum held in Cape Coast, this week.
On August 28, a group of people stormed the Tamale District Court to protest against an alleged drug peddler, whose activity had caused the life of some youth in the community, and was standing trial.
Although the situation had since been brought under control, JUSAG strongly holds the opinion that more was needed to be done about security, given other occurrences in other regions of the country.
The JUSAG President also used the occasion to express challenges they faced during the negotiations of their salary and related allowances every two years.
He said the challenge stemmed from the inability of the Service to comply with certain Articles of the Constitution, 158(2), 159, and 161, and the recommendations by the Supreme Court in the case of JUSAG vs The Attorney General & 2 Ors. (2016).
Meanwhile, he added that the Constitutional Instrument (CI) clearly defines the terms and conditions of service of staff of the Service.
Mr. Afotey Otu trumpeted an assurance given by the Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, “to see to [the] immediate passage of the draft regulation into a CI. It is our fervent hope and prayer that the content of the draft will reflect key components of the 2012 Conditions of Service.
“As a co-equal arm of government to Parliament, it is our further prayer that, the Parliamentary Service Regulation, 2014 (CI 118) as well as the Legal Service Regulation will be given due consideration in the Judicial Service Regulation.”
This, notwithstanding, his profound appreciation to the Chief Justice and her immediate predecessor, Kwasi Anin Yeboah, and the roles they played in the approval and implementation of the new salary structure for staff of the Service.
He further commented on the creation of the Retired Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (REJUSAG) to cater for the welfare of all retired employees of the Service.
Mr. Afotey also made mention of the establishment of a Judicial Service Staff Co-operative Fund (JUSCOFund), which would offer financial assistance to individuals in the legal fraternity.
