According to Citi News sources, this follows an intervention by the Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, who is said to have begun talks with President Akufo-Addo, to resolve the concerns of members of the lower bench.

[contextly_sidebar id=”oJecBPKmLVFIG1mZXHEoAgynzBmQGbIb”]Members of the lower bench, including circuit court judges and magistrates of the district courts, threatened to withdraw their services a fortnight ago over issues relating to their salaries and conditions of service.

The judges gave authorities a two-week ultimatum to address their concerns or witness a withdrawal of their services from the 21st March.

The judges have served several notices of a strike since 2016 but have never followed through.

The recent letter addressed to the Chief Justice accused the government of dragging its feet in resolving their issues.

“Historically, our dealings with the ministry of finance since 2013 have been characterized by deliberate inventions or errors and mistakes, withdrawal of salaries, deductions in salaries and deliberate mistakes.”

They also expressed frustration at what they described as government’s disrespect towards them.

“We find that these actions of the government are a violation of Article 149 of the 1992 Constitution. It is our view that government‘s attitude frustrates the work of the Judicial Council on salaries of the lower bench by treating the work of the Council itself and lower bench with contempt.’’

The judges also withdrew from further salary negotiations because according to them, after several meetings with the Joint Judicial Council and Government Negotiating Team between February 26 and March 2, 2018, nothing concrete had been achieved.

They have raised a number of issues which include the lack of personal security for them, the poor state of their chambers and courtrooms, the lack of armed security in the courts and non-availability of risk allowances for them.

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By: Fred Djabanor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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[contextly_sidebar id=”wL89Qa6sARzosJwFKUXDLw8w2UryKyTm”]According to Attorney General, these challenges include staffing and accommodation, among other things.

Touring the department’s Eastern Regional Office, Ms Akuffo told Citi News her outfit is collating a report that will seek to provide remedies for these challenges across the regional offices.

“We have challenges with staffing, office space, residential accommodation, office equipment and reports and even administrative staff is a challenge but there may be slight differences in terms of priorities. What may be a real challenge in Wa, may not be a challenge at Ho so I have asked them to put together their needs in the form of a report and I am going to be collating a national report on the office of the Attorney General and its departments and agencies with the view of prioritizing them and looking for funds to begin to solve some of these problems,” she said.

‘Stop giving us scraps’

Her concerns come just weeks after the Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo expressed her anger at successive governments for not placing priority on the judiciary in terms of funding.

Sophia Akuffo had said the adjudicatory arm of government is usually relegated to the background with considerations for funding usually being treated as an afterthought.

The Chief Justice called for adequate funding for the judiciary, given the critical role it plays in society.

Her Ladyship Sophia Akuffo made these comments at the 2018 GIMPA Law Conference held in Accra a few weeks ago.

“It is important that the financing of the judiciary should be given serious consideration. We cannot continue to be some pathetic backroom part of governance where after everything has been served out and enjoyed then we get the scraps. That cannot happen!” the Chief Justice fumed.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to the Chief Justice, the adjudicatory arm of government is often relegated to the background, with considerations for funding the operations of the service often treated as an afterthought.

She called for the Judiciary to be given the attention it deserves given the crucial role it plays in the society.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Kukpy1AwfyYuSe0RnUuyqKUbOROD0C4I”]Her Ladyship Sophia Akuffo made these comments at the 2018 GIMPA Law Conference in Accra on Thursday.

“It is important that the financing of the judiciary should be given serious consideration. We cannot continue to be some pathetic backroom part of governance where after everything has been served out and enjoyed then we get the scraps. That cannot happen!” the Chief Justice fumed.

‘Judiciary most frugal institution’

Her Ladyship Sophia Akuffo further indicated that the judiciary, when adequately resourced, will carry out its core mandate of administering justice effectively.

In her view, calls for the judiciary to be adequately resourced are borne out of genuine concern, given that the institution does not require a lot of funds to operate efficiently.

“The government that is responsible for our court buildings, the High Court, the Circuit Court, Court of Appeals, Supreme Court and so on and so forth, if they really take a look, they will see that we are the most frugal of the governance institutions and when we say we need, we do need so that we will be able to run and administer justice to the people of Ghana with full competence.”

‘No money syndrome’

The ‘no money syndrome’ appears to be a long-standing challenge the judiciary has been battling with for years.

In 2014, the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) asked government to immediately release funds to the Judicial Service.

The GBA in a statement signed by its National President, Nene Amegatcher had stated that the judicial service has been paralyzed by lack of funds.

”The Ghana Bar Association notes with regret that despite the fact that the constitution guarantees financial autonomy to the judiciary, the institution virtually has to be on its knees begging government to release its subvention.

”The situation has been worsened by the fact that the judiciary has not received even the inadequate budgetary provision for over a year,” a statement from the Association said at the time.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The directive by the Chief justice also instructed judges to ensure they are fully attired in robes alongside the wigs.

[contextly_sidebar id=”7SEOWAalqNTCvLbgpDIQgUif5rAyFZSh”]According to an internal memo from the judicial secretary to all judges, sighted by Citi News, the directive is to preserve the tradition and uniqueness of the work of Judges and the legal profession.

It also explained that, the wearing of the wigs will enhance the security of judges and also provide them the needed protection and anonymity.

Her ladyship Sophia Akuffo, also indicated that, the new directive is aimed at restoring the formal nature of court proceedings, and eliminate what she describes as the “creeping casualness in the judicial system.”

The directive is one of the notable decisions taken by the Chief Justice since her appointment in June 2017.

I’m against lawyers advertising on social media – Sophia Akuffo

The Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo in June 2017 during her vetting, said she does not endorse the practice of lawyers advertising their services on social media.

According to her, the practice is “distasteful” and amounts to ‘touting’, a behavior unacceptable by the bar.

Sophia Akuffo’s conservative leanings

She said, “Personally, I believe that dignity of the Bar is as important as the dignity of the judiciary, and the idea of lawyers touting themselves on social media is personally distasteful to me. But that aside, the law is there clearly against touting because touting is an improper conduct on the part of the lawyer.”

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By: Fred Djabanor/citifmonlne.com/Ghana

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The theme for this Legal Year is: “Quality Judges, Delivering Quality Justice.”

Rev. George O. Kwapong, the District Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Tema North, in a sermon, admonished lawyers and judges to deliver services to the public as if they were rendering services to God, to whom they would render an account.

He said as lawyers and judges, it was improper to think and do things anyhow with the intent that “after death that is all”.

He said there was a reward for rendering faithful services, and tasked them to be faithful to the end of their lives in order to receive a reward.

Rev. Kwapong, using Samuel as a leader in the Bible, challenged lawyers and judges to see their work as a call to serve mankind.

He lauded the Judiciary for selecting the theme, which he described as apt and relevant for the country.

He said quality justice was fundamental because it made the public have absolute confidence in the judiciary, adding that quality could not therefore not be compromised.

He noted that the Judiciary had undergone several transformations, but its core values of protecting the rights and property remained the same.

Administering quality justice depended on the values of the individual’s creed, and those who administered quality justice were influenced by those values, he said.

He said there were several meanings to quality justice, which may include the speedy manner in which a matter was dealt with, the use of appropriate laws and statutes, and how people were treated in the administration of justice.

Rev. Kwapong said quality justice was possible so long as individuals were willing to work no matter the challenges.

He advised the judges and lawyers against covetousness, greed and pride among other things, but urged them to continue to believe in their God by serving faithfully and wholeheartedly because they would account for their stewardship.

The service brought together judges of the superior and lower courts, lawyers and chiefs.

Other dignitaries include former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice, and Mr Tony Forson, the National Vice President of the Ghana Bar Association.

Prayers were offered for Ghana, the Judiciary, Executive and the Legislature.

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Source: GNA

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According to Citi News sources, the judges have not received the allowances due them since January 2017, forcing them to use their own resources, including fuel for official duties.

The source further disclosed that the judges of the Lower Bench will boycott the annual Judges and Magistrates Conference as well as all end of legal year activities beginning this week.

The agitation compelled Justice Alex B. Acheampong, the Judicial Secretary (JS) to write to Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta demanding payment of the allowances.

A copy of the letter dated September 5, 2017, said: “we refer to our letters dated 25th April 2017, 7th June 2017 and July 24, 2017, in respect of payment of petrol allowance due the members of the Lower Bench and payment of allowances for staff of the Service.”

It stated, “the non-payment of these approved allowances which are due the affected judges and staff is leading to agitation and any further delay in honoring these obligations could result in labour unrest.”

The letter, however, urged the finance minister to intervene in the resolution of the matter for the smooth running of the Judicial Service and the courts.

Subsequent to the letter, Citi News gathered that Chief Justice Sophia Akuffo met with the minister in an attempt to bring closure to the issue.

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By: Fred Djabanor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The organizers of the event were forced to improvise with phone torches and lamps, while personalities including the UK High Commissioner to Ghana, John Benjamin, Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Woode, and Attorney General, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, addressed the gathering of eminent legal professionals.

Citi FM’s Fred Tettey Djabanor, reported that the lights went off five minutes into the programme, which had started after midday.

According to him, officials at the facility said there was no fuel in the standby generator to power it.

Other dignitaries present at the event included the Chairperson of Ghana’s Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei, and the Judicial Secretary, Justice Alex Poku-Acheampong.

The election adjudication manual contains steps and processes put in place in order to ensure a smooth adjudication of electoral cases in the likely event of an election dispute.

Ghana has experienced unstable power in the last few years. Although there is an improvement generally in the supply of power, intermittent outages still do occur.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

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Mr Adjaho also reminded Members of Parliament to uphold the dignity of House.

Equally, the nation must do more to identify its heroes and honour them even as they are still alive.

The Speaker gave the advice at the weekend during his turn at a symposium organised by the House, in Accra, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of Mr Justice Daniel Francis Kweipe Annan, the first Speaker of Parliament under the Fourth Republic.

The symposium was on the theme: “Democratic Governance by the three Arms of Government under the 1992 Constitution.”

Speakers at the symposium, which was followed with a remembrance and thanksgiving service on Saturday at the Forecourt of the State House shared fond memories of the late Justice Annan’s many contributions to Ghana’s political development, especially to Parliament.

The Executive was represented by Dr Ekwow Spio- Garbrah, Minister of Trade and Industry; the Judiciary by Justice William Atuguba and Justice Sophia Akufo; and Parliament by Mr Doe Adjaho, Majority Leader Alban Sumana Babgin, and Mr Kwabena Appiah-Pinkrah, Member of Parliament for Akrofuom.

In attendance at the symposium was Nana Dr S K B Asante, an international legal luminary, who also formulated proposals for the 1992 Constitution.

Mr Adjaho recalled the early days of the Fourth Republic, and observed that at those very difficult moments, the late Justice Annan stood up to the task as Speaker with the skill and wisdom to steer the affairs of the House.

He commended Ghanaians for keeping the nation’s democracy intact for almost 25 years, since the adoption of the 1992 Constitution, and suggested that it was necessary for the nation to identify a number of people that had made that possible and honour them.

At the memorial on Saturday, the Very Reverend Ashford Quarcoo, Superintendent Minister of the Abossey Okai Methodist Church, in a sermon urged the living to be dedicated to their duties.

He paid tribute the late Justice Annan as having worked hard, and rendered dedicated service to God and country as well as family and church.

The Very Rev Ashford Quarcoo urged Ministers of State and political actors to see their service as representatives of God, and serve in a manner of calling.

He explained that each would be held accountable by God on how qualitative one served humanity.

The late Mr Justice Annan played various roles in public life. He was the Chairman of the National Commission for Democracy (NCD), Chairman of the National Economic Commission, Chairman of the Police Council, Member of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), and Member of the Council of Elders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

He was also Chairman of the Governing Council of the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), Member of the Advisory Board of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Appeals Court Judge, Circuit Court Judge, Senior State Attorney, and Assistant State Attorney

Mr Justice Annan worshipped as a Methodist at the Wesley Cathedral (Asafoatse Nettey Road)] in Accra, where he was a member of the Men’s Fellowship.

He was also a Sports Enthusiast who loved Boxing, Football and Track and Field Athletics. It was on record that he first met President J. J. Rawlings through the sport of Boxing, when he promoted Ghana’s first world championship fight in Accra between Floyd Robertson and Sugar Ramos of Cuba.

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Source: GNA

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An induction ceremony has been held for final-year students of the Accra Academy Senior High School to officially make them members of the Old Boys Association of the school.

Source: Graphic Online

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