Chief Justice swears-in 16 High Court Judges

Accra, July 7, GNA - The Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood on Wednesday sworn into office 16 High Court Judges at a ceremony in Accra. They were made up of 13 men and three women. Eleven of them were elevated from the Circuit Courts while five were called from the Bar.

They were selected after rigorous recruitment exercise including examinations, interviews and thorough back ground checks by National Security.

The Chief Justice who administered the Oath of Allegiance, Judicial and Secrecy, urged the judges to keep at bay from self seekers who desire to exploit their relationship for their selfish ends. She told them that Ghanaians had honoured them with the appointments by entrusting them with enormous powers provided by constitutional provisions that ensure their independence and insulation against unwarranted interference from any quarters.

Mrs Justice Wood explained that judicial independence is recognised throughout the world as key pillar for maintenance of law and order and attainment of democratic governance and development. She told the judges that enormous powers vested in them by the Constitution "were not meant to arm you with power to lord it over everybody and turn justice down".

The Chief Justice therefore urged them to guard their integrity jealously and ensure that the national interest is always paramount. She tasked the judges to live above reproach and make the nation proud of the trust reposed in them by leaving best judicial legacies. Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, tasked the judges to live up to the high ideals of their noble profession. She said administering justice is not easy in the face of lack of logistics, inappropriate court facilities and delays by some members of the Bar.

Mrs Mould-Iddrisu said government had put in place checks and balances as a result of the delays in the administration of justice. She appealed to the judges to live up to their oaths and ensure that the government's agenda of a better Ghana is pursued. Mr Justice Ernest Obispo, on behalf his colleagues promised to discharge their duties honourably without fear or favour. The judges are; Mr Justice Alex Owusu Fore, Mr Justice Richard Adjei-Frimpong, Mr Justice Emmanuel Siameh, Mr Justice Charles A. Wilson, Mrs Justice Jennifer Akua Tagoe, Mr Justice Daniel Mensah, Mr Justice Kofi Akrowiah and Mr Justice Edward K.B. Apenkwah. The rest are Mr Justice Beresford Acquah, Ms Justice Adwoa Bartels-Kodwo, Mr Justice George Buadi, Mr Justice Lawer Buertey, Mr Justice George Ato Mills-Graves, Mrs Justice Barbara Ward Acquah and Mr Justice Peter Kwabena Ababio. 7 July 10