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CJ warns judicial staff

By The Statesman
Wed, 03 Sep 2008 | Print | E-Mail | PDF | Graphics Version
General News



The Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood, has issued a stern warning to the nation's Judicial Service staff with a pledge that her office would deal ruthlessly with anyone of them caught engaging in criminal activities.

The warning had become necessary because reports reaching her indicate that some of the staff were seriously engaged in criminal activities including falsification of certificates, destruction or mutilation of official documents and deliberate failure to make required entries on dockets.

Others, she said, even go to the extent of posing as lawyers to dupe the unsuspecting public.

The Chief Justice, who said she had on a number of occasions caused the security agencies to investigate criminal activities perpetrated by some Judicial Service staff, stressed that those found culpable would not be spared.

She issued the warning at the opening ceremony of the 4th Triennial Delegates Conference of the Judicial Services Staff Association of Ghana in Takoradi Monday. The three-day conference, under the theme 'Uniting to ensure better working conditions and success of judicial reforms ', was attended by over one hundred staff.

The nation's highest judge said to help instil discipline in the Service, her office was in the process of preparing a simple, concise and easy-to-read code of ethics for the staff. This, she said, would be followed by training in integrity and ethics issues for some members of staff as trainers who would in turn take up the training of their other colleagues.

She hoped all the Service staff would at the end of the training period perform their official duties with diligence, encourage one another to serve the public faithfully and also stay away from all forms of criminal activities.

As the third arm of the State, the Chief Justice said the Judiciary had an obligation to serve the general public with truth and candour. It was to this end that she also cautioned the staff against involving themselves in electoral fraud and other forms of irregularities before, during and after the December elections.

"In the course of performing your official duties, I will advise, as is expected of you, that you do not discriminate, nor manifest by word or conduct, bias or prejudice based on religion, ethnic origin, disability, age, gender, marital status, social or economic status or political affiliation or opinion', she further advised.

The Chief Justice said it was to help the Judicial Service offer dedicated service to Ghanaians, particularly the down trodden that her office had already created a division of the High Court to deal with Labour issues.

She said this court, together with one to deal with human rights issues would be operational in October this year.

Adding his voice to that of the Chief Justice, the President of JUSAG, Rockson Iddris, said the association was mindful of its sinking image and the negative reports about of its members and would accordingly put in place stringent measures to salvage the situation.

He paid glowing tribute to the late Chief Justice, George Kingsley Acquah, and the current one for their vigorous campaign and efforts to restore the image of the Judicial Service which had been severely battered by the unethical conduct of some miscreants in the Service.

The President however noted that inspite of all these odds, JUSAG had in the last four years chalked remarkable successes like negotiating an upward adjustment of payable benefits to the members, negotiating for upward review of salaries and institution of May Day Awards for deserving and hardworking staff.

The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Kwesi Blay, also addressed the conference which was chaired by the Omanhene of Essikado traditional area, Nana Kobena Nketsiah V.

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