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Eschew corruption – Nana Addo tells judges
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said sixty (60) district courts, sixty (60) bungalows for judges, and three (3) new high courts for three (3) of the six (6) newly created regions will be commissioned before the start of the legal year in October.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the government has taken note of the inadequate numbers of courts in various parts of the country, resulting in citizens travelling long distances to gain access to courts, and has decided to remedy this situation.
Speaking at the swearing-in of ten (10) new High Court Judges, on Monday, July 18, 2022, at Jubilee House, the President stated that Government, through the Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund, is constructing one hundred (100) new courts and bungalows for Judges in all sixteen (16) Regions of the country.
They are broken down in the various Regions as follows – twenty (20) courts and twenty (20) bungalows in Ashanti; twelve (12) courts and twelve (12) bungalows in Eastern; eight (8) courts and eight (8) bungalows in Greater Accra; eight (8) courts and eight (8) bungalows in Volta; eight (8) courts and eight (8) bungalows in Ahafo; seven (7) courts and seven (7) bungalows in Western; and five (5) courts and five (5) bungalows in Bono East.
The rest are five (5) courts and five (5) bungalows in North East; four (4) courts and four (4) bungalows in Oti; four (4) courts and four (4) bungalows in Western North; four (4) courts and four (4) bungalows in Central; four (4) courts and four (4) bungalows in Bono; three (3) courts and three (3) bungalows in Northern; three (3) courts and three (3) bungalows in Savannah; three (3) courts and three (3) bungalows in Upper East; and two (2) courts and two (2) bungalows in Upper West.
“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,” President Akufo-Addo said.
He continued: “Six new Regional High Courts are also being constructed in the newly created regions, i.e., Ahafo, Bono East, North East, Oti, Savannah and Western North. Three of the Courts, that is those in Ahafo, Bono East and Oti Regions, will be completed and ready for commissioning, again, before October. The other three, that is those in North East, Savannah and Western North, which are at eighty percent (80%) completion, will be ready for commissioning by the end of the first quarter of 2023.”
It will also be recalled in April last year, the President cut the sod for commencement of work on a new, modern Court of Appeal complex in Kumasi, together with twenty (20) townhouses and a guesthouse to serve as permanent residences for Court of Appeal Judges based in Kumasi, who will be mandated to handle appeals from the northern part of the country.
President Akufo-Addo noted that “they will be completed and commissioned in September”, adding that “two hundred and ten (210) vehicles were, earlier this year, distributed to all judges in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Courts and Lower Courts.”
These, the President reiterated, are all initiatives being undertaken by Government to strengthen the capacity of the Judiciary.
High Court Judges
Swearing the new High Court Judges in, upon the advice of the Judicial Council, given in accordance with the provisions of article 144 clause 3 of the Constitution, he indicated that they are eminently fit and qualified for the position of Justices of the High Court, and have the impartiality of mind and independence of spirit necessary to hold this high office.
They are Her Honour Mercy Adei Kotei, Mrs. Cynthia Martinson, Dr. Bridget Kafui Antonio-Apedzi, Ms. Nabeela Naeema Wahab, His Honour Ebenezer Osei-Darko, His Honour Bernard Bentil, His Honour Alexander Graham, George Kwame Gyan-Kontoh, Richard Apietu and Eric Ansah Ankomah.
With the High Court described as a superior court of record, with original, general jurisdiction as a tribunal of first instance, President Akufo-Addo told the new Judges to exhibit honesty, integrity and a sound knowledge of the law.
“A corrupt or incompetent judge is a danger to the public interest and judicial administration. The situation, where judges proffer judgements on the basis of decisions from lower courts and cite them as law, is not acceptable, and even less so, when judges cite no authority at all for their rulings, and give orders without reasons,” he added.
The President continued: “You must be learned, know your case law and ensure your decisions and judgements are properly motivated. The principle of stare decisis, the ancient common law doctrine of precedent, has been, and continues to be the time-honoured foundation for the coherent development of the law, and should not be lightly discarded.”
Source: www.pulse.com.gh
Massive celebrations were recorded countrywide as the Black Stars opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto on Wednesday.
Midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi scored the only goal of the match late in the game as he shot in a decent cross from substitute Brandon Asante.
The win gave Ghana a positive start in the competition, placing them in second position behind England, also with three points but with a superior goal aggregate.
After the final whistle, the streets and other viewing centres were turned into partying grounds as fans, mostly clad in the team’s paraphernalia, danced to several World Cup-themed music.
Others blew the vuvuzelas in joyous mood with others putting up a spirited ‘jama’ session.
Former New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Adentan Constituency, Akosua Manu, has urged party members to move away from what she describes as an “entitlement mentality” and focus on unity, sacrifice and hard work as the party prepares for the 2028 general election.
In a statement titled “Is Loyalty a Queue?”, and posted on facebook, Ms. Manu argued that loyalty to the NPP should not be judged by how long a person has been in the party but by their contributions and commitment to its growth.
According to her, the NPP’s history shows that many of its leaders faced significant opposition from within the party before eventually leading it to electoral success.
She cited former President John Agyekum Kufuor as an example, saying he had to overcome resistance from influential figures within the party before winning power for the NPP in 2000.
Ms. Manu noted that after the party lost power in 2008, former President Kufuor faced criticism and accusations from some party members.
However, she said supporters eventually put their differences aside and worked together to rebuild the party.
She pointed to the experience of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, according to her, faced opposition from some factions within the NPP despite his long service to the party.
“His trials were ten times what Kufuor endured,” she stated, adding that Akufo-Addo eventually overcame the challenges and became President of Ghana.
Turning to the NPP’s current flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Ms. Manu said he also faced resistance from different groups within the party while seeking leadership.
She praised Dr. Bawumia for contributing to policy-based political discussions in Ghana and for remaining composed following the NPP’s defeat in the 2024 elections.
According to her, party members must now rally behind him in the same way they supported former Presidents Kufuor and Akufo-Addo.
Ms. Manu, however, warned that internal divisions and a sense of entitlement remain major threats to the party’s future.
She argued that some party members place too much emphasis on how long individuals have belonged to the NPP rather than on their contributions and capabilities.
“This entitlement does not question impact. It does not ask what you sacrificed or what you built. It asks only how long have you been here,” she said.
The former parliamentary candidate cautioned that such attitudes could discourage committed members and prevent the party from selecting the best people for leadership positions.
She further called on the party’s incoming national executives to strengthen the NPP’s core values of sacrifice, honesty, integrity and dedication to national development.
Ms. Manu addressed the concerns of young party supporters, many of whom she said became discouraged following the NPP’s electoral defeat in 2024.
According to her, many young people remain eager to see the party return to power but are unwilling to support internal conflicts driven by personal ambitions.
She urged party elders to place the interests of the NPP above their individual goals and to demonstrate leadership that attracts rather than alienates members.
“The NPP is bigger than any one of us. It always has been. Our collective responsibility is to act like it,” she stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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