President Akufo-Addo has opined that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) lost the election petition because they had no case. According to the President, the NDC, led by former President Mahama went to the apex court without a single shred of evidence to back their claims.
He was speaking as the special guest at the opening of the 2022 Bar Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, at Ho, Volta Region.
He stressed that just as the government continues to implement policies to advance the rule of law and, thereby, reinforce the confidence of the people, there are some who have made it their political agenda to disparage systematically the image of the Judiciary for selfish, parochial and partisan reasons.
“These are the plaintiffs who go to court, indeed, to the highest court of the land, provide not a single shred of evidence to back their claims, and yet insist that their claims be upheld, despite the elementary violation of the ancient, common-law rules for the discharge of the burden of proof that such a result would entail,” he remarked.
The President continued, “It is no wonder that their claims were unanimously dismissed 7-0 by the apex court. The result of this case is in stark contrast to the result of a similar one in 2013, when the unsuccessful plaintiffs managed to persuade four (4) out of a nine (9) member court to find for them, and yet the earlier plaintiffs chose not to wage political war against the court.”
The President asked the people of Ghana to say no to persons who have made it their passion to make disparaging remarks against the Judiciary and the Electoral Commission for selfish, parochial and partisan reasons.
He told members of the Bar that Ghana is governed in accordance with the rule of law and not on the basis of political considerations.
“It is important that all of us, especially us lawyers, who cherish the democracy we are building, say no to such persons and guard jealously our democratic way of life, which we have done so much to bring into being.
Independent judges, administering the law, protecting the human rights of citizens and ensuring public accountability are strong pillars of our democracy,” the President added.
STRENGTHENING JUDICIARY
In his remark, President Akufo-Addo told the gathering that the government has, since his assumption of office, introduced a number of policy measures to help bridge the technology-gap in the administration of justice.
The President mentioned that the government has launched the e-justice system, which is designed to leverage technology in the delivery of justice.
He added that the government was also addressing the challenge posed by the inadequate numbers of courts in various parts of the country, resulting in citizens travelling long distances to gain access to courts and, thereby, weakening the rule of law.
Through the Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund, Government is constructing one hundred (100) new courts and bungalows for Judges in all sixteen (16) Regions of the country.
Sixty percent (60%) of these courts and bungalows have been completed, and will be commissioned before the start of the legal year in October. The remaining forty percent (40%) will be duly completed and commissioned by the end of the first quarter of 2023.
CHIEF JUSTICE
The Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Anin Yeboah, who was represented by a Supreme Court Judge, Justice Jones Dotse, asked lawyers to be mindful of the way they delay cases in the courts, which he stressed should be re-examined since it could not be said to be best practice.
Justice Dotse said it was unfortunate that some Ghanaians deliberately tried to ridicule the judiciary in the discharge of their constitutional mandate, saying the country had a bad history of killing six judges in the line of duty and pointed out that insightful practises against the judiciary by the public should be avoided.
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Godfred Yeboah Dame, observed that the historical antecedents of the judiciary since independence had shown that the institution had grown over the years and had been promoting democratic development over the years, which was evidenced in election disputes.
Mr. Dame, therefore, urged Ghanaians to respect the institutions of law, particularly the judiciary, and expressed concern about the utterances of former President John Dramani Mahama, who was a beneficiary of democracy and the judiciary, to stop making derogatory remarks about the judiciary because the law would continue to be applied without discrimination.
Mr. Yaw Boafo, President of the GBA, urged the media to help maintain law and order, particularly radio station managers, to be mindful of the types of people they invite to their discussion programmes to ensure that such discussions do not devolve into violence.
Mr. Boafo also called on the government to establish Alternative Dispute Resolution Centres (ADRCS) to help address some of the cases there, to help decongest the traditional courts, to promote adjudication of cases and promote the rule of law.
By Maxwell Ofori and Samuel Agbewode, Ho
