‘Judiciary has lost its reputation; they must work together with the executive for a reform’ — Mahama

Former President John Dramani Mahama has called for a massive judicial reforms in Ghana to restore public trust and confidence.

During his address at the closing session of the 3rd Lawyers Conference organized by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Lawyers Association in Akosombo, he emphasized the importance of collaboration between the judiciary and the executive to achieve these reforms.

Mr. Mahama expressed deep concern about the diminishing trust in Ghana's judiciary, stressing that the judiciary should serve as the backbone of democracy and the rule of law in the nation.

"All opinion polling and other surveys that have been done show that the reputation of our judiciary is at its lowest, and we all know what has contributed to this," Mr. Mahama remarked.

He noted that concerns over monetary influences on judgments in both civil and criminal cases, as well as the infamous Anas exposé that led to the dismissal of some judges, had significantly contributed to this decline in trust.

“There has been a low level of credibility with the judiciary. Our people have always felt that there is monetary influence that influences judegment in both civil and criminal cases and you remember the Anas exposé that led to the sacking of some judges,” he said.

The former President also argued that the issue goes beyond financial inducements, as partisanship had infiltrated the judiciary, leading to what he described as "bizarre" decisions in political-related cases.

"But it has gone beyond monetary inducement. Now, it is also seen that the judiciary is partisan, and a lot of people feel that justice is not served in many cases.

"We do believe that there must be judicial reform," he added.

Mr. Mahama stressed that the executive should not impose reforms on the judiciary but should collaborate with it to enhance its reputation and independence.

He pointed out that this would not only benefit Ghanaians but also inspire trust among foreign investors and all individuals within Ghana's jurisdiction.

"So this must be something the executive cannot impose on the judiciary, but the judiciary and the executive working together can work to improve the stature of the judiciary," Mr. Mahama emphasized.

In his closing remarks, the former President urged the legal team of the opposition NDC to include discussions on how the executive and members of the judiciary could work together to improve the image of Ghana's judiciary.

He said, ”Let’s look at how we as the executive and members of the judiciary can work together to improve the image of the Ghanaian judiciary.

“I believe that if the image of the judiciary is improved, it will inure to the benefit of those who work in the court, it inure to the benefit of the judges and judicial service workers.”