President Mahama urges new Supreme Court Justices to uphold Constitution and judicial independence

President John Dramani Mahama has urged three newly sworn-in Justices of the Supreme Court to uphold the Constitution and administer justice without fear or favour.

He said the authority of the Supreme Court depended on the confidence and trust of the Ghanaian people and, therefore, the new Justices must protect the rights of citizens and ensure that no individual or institution was above the law.

President Mahama made the call at the Presidency in Accra during the swearing-in ceremony of, Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Justice Anthony Forson Jr. as Justices of the Supreme Court.

Congratulating the three on their appointments, he said their new positions came with a major responsibility to strengthen Ghana’s constitutional democracy and the rule of law.

“The oath you have taken today is consequential, not ceremonial. It is a solemn covenant with the people of Ghana,” President Mahama stated.

He said Supreme Court Justices needed more than legal knowledge, noting that they must also demonstrate sound judgement, integrity, courage, patience and a strong commitment to justice.

President Mahama urged the new Justices to remain independent when handling cases involving strong public emotions or political interests.

He advised them not to be influenced by pressure, praise or criticism, but to allow the quality of their reasoning, fairness and loyalty to the Constitution to define their legacy.

The President called on the judiciary to continue with reforms aimed at improving the delivery of justice.

He said prolonged cases, unnecessary adjournments and delays in delivering judgments created hardship for ordinary citizens and could undermine public confidence in the justice system.

President Mahama, therefore, urged the judiciary to embrace appropriate technology and improve the accessibility and efficiency of the courts.

He called for Supreme Court judgments to be written in clear language to provide reliable guidance to lower courts, public institutions, lawyers and citizens.

President Mahama described Justice Bernasko Essah as an experienced judicial officer whose service at the Court of Appeal would bring valuable experience to the Supreme Court.

He noted that Justice Asante brought both national and regional judicial experience, having served on the Court of Appeal and as a former President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice.

According to him, Justice Asante’s experience in regional integration, human rights and international law would enrich the work of the Supreme Court.

On Justice Forson, President Mahama said his decades of experience in private legal practice and his former leadership of the Ghana Bar Association would bring an important perspective to the Court.

He said his experience of representing citizens, businesses and institutions before the courts could help the Supreme Court better understand how legal decisions affect ordinary people.

Speaking on behalf of the three Justices, Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah expressed gratitude to President Mahama for the confidence reposed in them.

She pledged that the three would hear cases fairly, decide according to the law, act with courage and integrity, and remain faithful to the Constitution and the oaths they had sworn.

The three Justices were administered the Oath of Allegiance, Judicial Oath and Oath of Secrecy by President Mahama before receiving their warrants of appointment.

By: Jacob Aggrey