UN Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão, emphasized the vital role of Ghana’s judiciary in upholding democracy, while recommending stronger public communication.
In an interview on Joy News’ PM Express, he commended the judiciary’s professionalism but noted that limited outreach has occasionally led to public misunderstandings.
He mentioned that the judiciary has recently pledged to share its adjudication models publicly, a move he believes will enhance transparency.
“Improving the clarity and accessibility of information for different levels of society is crucial,” he told host Evans Mensah on Tuesday.
Simão sees these communication improvements as essential to fostering public trust in Ghana’s legal institutions, especially during the electoral period.
“Greater transparency can only strengthen the judiciary’s role in maintaining peace and credibility in the electoral process,” he concluded.
Mr Simão noted that the judiciary is often perceived as the “last line of defence” for democracy, especially in Ghana, where it has decided electoral disputes in past elections.
However, he stressed, “High professionalism alone isn’t enough; the quality of communication must also match the stakes involved.”
He added that misinterpretations are often born from a lack of accessible explanations.
“Different stakeholders need different levels of information—from technical details for professionals to more general explanations for the public.”