President John Dramani Mahama has called on the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) to play a more active role in efforts to tackle corruption within the judiciary, stressing that restoring public trust in the justice system is a shared responsibility.
Speaking at a gathering of legal professionals at the presidency, President Mahama expressed concern over the growing perception of corruption in the judiciary, citing multiple public surveys that indicate a lack of confidence in the institution. He emphasized the need for integrity, accountability, and transparency to ensure justice is fairly administered.
“We also have the issue of the judiciary and the perception surrounding it,” he stated. “Several surveys asking the public for their opinion on the judiciary have not been positive. We must work together to ensure we have a judiciary that is respected.”
The president highlighted the challenge of dealing with financial mismanagement cases, noting that large sums of public funds, often in the billions of cedis are reported as misappropriated each year. He proposed the establishment of a fast-track court system to swiftly address such cases and deter further financial misconduct.
“Year in, year out, you hear reports of billions of cedis misappropriated, and addressing these cases remains difficult due to constitutional procedures. However, once these issues are identified, we need a system that swiftly deals with them to deter future misconduct,” he stated.
“How we deal with these cases is very difficult because of the constitutional procedures and the work of the parliamentary accounts committee,” he explained. “But after that process, we must have a fast-track court to ensure accountability and deter people from misusing government funds.”
President Mahama also reassured the legal fraternity that his government remains open to collaboration, dismissing claims that his administration harbors any animosity toward the judiciary.
“Our doors are open. If you think there’s anything that should be brought to our attention, don’t hesitate at all,” he assured the GBA.
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