A former Chief Justice of Ghana, Sophia Akuffo, has stated that there is the need for the country to be careful with the way it handles matters of the judicial concern because should it not be done so, it could undermine its Rule of Law.

She explained that countries should not fool with their judiciary, one of the arms of government, as this could contribute to making the Rule of Law being compromised.

Speaking in an Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) seminar on reviewing the 1992 constitution, Sophia Akuffo said the dynamics of the law must be looked at carefully.

“This is my reading of the constitutional provisions on the judiciary. There are certain qualitative attributes because they are there to assure Rule of Law. If you fool around with your judiciary, something will go wrong with your Rule of Law and protection and promotion of human rights, and the entrenchment of good governance.

“That is why from time to time, some issues will arise – right now, I think one of the unions wants to go to court to go and find out about something. Some people want to march, the police say they cannot, so they want to go to court and sort that out.

“All that is part of the work of the judiciary to assure good governance; good governance that is not only at the executive or at the legislative level. In fact, some of the most important governance activities rather repose in the work of the judiciary,” she stated.

The IEA has been engaging in a number of such conversations with notable personalities whose contributions can support the need for Ghana to review its current constitution.

Watch her speak about it in the video below:



AE/WA