The Supreme Court has marked its 150th anniversary with a health walk and free legal outreach programme aimed at promoting public engagement, legal education, and healthy living among judges, court staff, lawyers, and the general public.
Speaking during the event, Justice Richard Adjei-Frimpong, Justice of the Supreme Court and chairman of the anniversary planning committee, said the activities formed part of efforts to bring the country’s highest court closer to the people after years of operating largely out of the public eye.
He explained that the celebration featured three major activities—a float, a health walk, and a legal outreach programme conducted in collaboration with the Greater Accra Regional Branch of the Ghana Bar Association.
According to him, lawyers were deployed to various public locations, including markets, where they interacted with residents and offered free legal education and advice.
“The Supreme Court has lived in seclusion for far too long, and therefore this is an opportunity for us to engage and open up to the general public. It is their Supreme Court, and after 150 years, we have to find a way of making them part of the celebration,” Justice Adjei-Frimpong said.
He noted that the legal outreach focused on issues such as spousal property rights, child custody, and maritime law because they have generated considerable public interest following recent court decisions.
Justice Adjei-Frimpong said although public education on these issues already exists, there is a need to deepen understanding through continuous engagement.
“There are questions around these issues, and people are not always clear about what the law says. We believe this is a good opportunity to enhance public education and interact more with the people,” he stated.
Justice Adjei-Frimpong also underscored the importance of physical fitness, revealing that he personally walks several kilometres every morning and believes maintaining good health is essential.
He said incorporating a health walk into the anniversary activities reflects the judiciary’s commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles and indicated that similar programmes could become a regular feature of future celebrations.
Also speaking at the event, President of the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG), Samuel Afotey Otu, described the anniversary as a celebration of the Supreme Court’s rich history under the theme, “Honouring the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Defining the Future.”
He said the celebration brought together judges, lawyers, and court staff, all of whom play critical roles in the administration of justice.
“We have been sitting in offices and courtrooms all this while. Today, we have come together to exercise, burn calories, and interact with one another as part of the anniversary celebration,” he said.
Mr. Afotey Otu stressed the importance of regular exercise and disclosed that JUSAG has incorporated health walks into its activities ahead of its upcoming Quadrennial Delegates Conference in Tamale.
He noted that staff members would participate in additional health walks as part of the conference, with some judges also expected to join. Touching on the association’s internal elections, Mr. Afotey Otu confirmed that he was seeking another term as JUSAG president.
He said improving the conditions of service for Judicial Service staff remains his foremost priority and pledged to continue pursuing better welfare for members if re-elected.
For more news, join The Chronicle Newspaper channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBSs55E50UqNPvSOm2z
