The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Dame, has emphasized the critical role of the Judiciary in the governance of the country.
At the Annual Conference of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG) held at La Beach Hotel in Accra on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, speaking under the theme “Improving the Security and Welfare of the Judiciary for Effective Justice Delivery,” the Attorney-General described the Judiciary’s function as “crucially indispensable” to the nation’s existence.
In his address, Mr. Dame acknowledged the vital contributions of all three arms of government—Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary—but underscored the Judiciary’s unique role.
He stated, “Respectfully, I know about the important contribution that each of the arms of State – the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary – makes. I observe that government is always at its best and most efficient when each arm of the State has a harmonious relationship with the others and respects the limits of their authority.”
However, the Attorney-General highlighted the Judiciary’s pivotal function in safeguarding the nation’s core values. “Of the three branches of government, the one whose functions, in my view, are crucially indispensable and fundamental to our existence as a country, whether under democratic governance or not, is the Judiciary,” he said.
Mr. Dame stressed the Judiciary’s role in resolving complex and far-reaching societal issues.
“When some of the most difficult moral, social, economic, and political questions fall for resolution – issues that go to the core of the society – it is judges, who with their wisdom derived from long experience, intellect, discipline, and knowledge of the law, shoulder the grave responsibility for determining those issues in furtherance of the principle that justice should be done,” he remarked, adding, “The work of the Judiciary sits at the heart of our society and our democracy.”
As Ghana approaches the general elections in 2024, the Attorney-General noted that the Judiciary’s impartiality will be more critical than ever.
“Your Ladyship, the role of the judiciary in our society will become more pronounced as we go into the general elections of 2024. Vested with the power to adjudicate on disputes between the state and its organs, state and individuals, and businesses, the Judiciary is required to be an impartial arbiter,” he stated.
Mr. Dame also highlighted the importance of justice being applied equitably across all societal classes.
“There is the need to ensure that crime or wrongdoing does not go unpunished for any class of society, privileged or underprivileged. In this regard, judges must understand that they work in the overall interests of the State only,” he concluded.