ACCRA, Ghana, 10th September: President John Dramani Mahama has urged three newly sworn-in Justices of the Supreme Court to remain steadfast in upholding the Constitution and resist political and public pressures in the discharge of their judicial responsibilities.
He said the new Justices must allow the quality of their reasoning, fairness of their decisions and unwavering loyalty to the Constitution to define their legacy on the highest court of the land.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony for Justice Sophia Rosetta Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Justice Tony Forson Jnr, President Mahama said the Supreme Court occupies a unique position in Ghana’s constitutional democracy as the final judicial authority.
He stressed that the authority of the Court does not derive from political power or force, but from the confidence and trust of the Ghanaian people that cases brought before it will be determined independently, impartially and strictly according to law.
President Mahama reminded the new Justices that they would sometimes be called upon to determine matters involving strong public emotions and competing political interests.
“In those moments, you must remain unmoved by the pressures, the praise, or the criticism,” he said.
He urged them not to allow themselves to be defined by the individuals, governments or institutions that appear before them, but rather by the quality of their judgments and commitment to justice.
“Let the quality of your reasoning define your legacy, the fairness of your decisions, and your unwavering loyalty to the Constitution,” President Mahama added.
He further reminded the Justices that behind every case file are human beings whose rights, livelihoods, freedoms and futures could depend on their decisions.
He therefore encouraged them to approach every matter with humility, listen patiently, examine the law carefully and decide courageously, while keeping justice and the national interest as their abiding purpose.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/ Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭