Akufo-Addo to newly appointed judges: Deal decisively with your cases

The President,  Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has charged Justices of the Court of Appeal to deal with all appeal cases that come to their attention decisively and effectively to prevent further appeals to the Supreme Court by litigants.

According to the President, the more effectively the Court of Appeal performs its function of adjudicating appeal cases from the courts below it (District, Circuit and the High Court especially), the less likely the Supreme Court would be invited to deal with further appeals from cases originating from courts below the Court of Appeal.

Addressing 15 newly appointed Court of Appeal Judges and attendees of the swearing-in ceremony at the Banquet Hall of the Jubilee House on Wednesday 21 December 2022, President Akufo-Addo said Judges in Ghana have a duty to deliver learned and informed decisions on cases that they adjudicate.

“It is vitally important that we have judges who are honest, possess integrity and a sound knowledge of the law. The situation where Judges proffer judgements on the basis of decisions from lower courts and cite them as law is not acceptable and even less so, when Judges cite no authority at all for their rulings and give orders without reasons,” President Akufo-Addo said.

“To you newly sworn-in Justices, you should so conduct yourselves that even though our judicial system comports a two-tie appellate system, the great majority of appeals terminate at the Court of Appeal. The apex court, the Supreme Court, the court of last resort should be seized of its appellate jurisdiction really if the Court of Appeal does its work satisfactorily,” President Akufo-Addo added.

Onerous responsibility

In a response to the charge of the President, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, on behalf of her 14 other colleagues, registered their profound gratitude to all actors throughout the process leading to their appointment to the high office of Justices of the Court of Appeal namely; the President, the Judicial Council, Parliament, the Attorney General, among others.

She added that as servants of the law, she together with her colleagues, have resolved to go about their work with dedication, commitment without affection or ill-will towards any person.

“We recognize the onerous responsibility placed on us Appellate Judges and we undertake to discharge our duties through fidelity to the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana guided by the tenets of freedom and justice.

“We also undertake to pursue our calling with diligence and contribute our quota to the enrichment and development of our jurisprudence and in the interest of justice. Together with my colleagues we assure all of you and Ghanaians in whose name and on whose behalf judicial power is exercised, that we shall continue to live up to the trust reposed in us,” Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe said.

“We shall diligently, faithfully, dutifully and honestly discharge our judicial oath and dispense justice without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

“As servants of the law, we appreciate the essence of upholding our integrity in order to assure citizens’ continued faith in the justice delivery system.

“We see our elevation to the Court of Appeal as a vote of confidence in our favour to continue to serve the Republic of Ghana and re-dedicate ourselves to our work so that the confidence of the people in the Judiciary will continue to flourish,” she added.

The Appellate Court

According to the website of the Judicial Service of Ghana, www.judicial.gov.gh, the Court of Appeal is the second highest court in the hierarchy of the superior courts.

Judges who sit in the Court of Appeal are referred to as Justices of the Court of Appeal. As the name implies, all appeal cases from the High Courts, Regional Tribunals and civil appeals from Circuit Courts are brought to the Court of Appeal.

The Court also hears appeals from some of the administrative bodies including Commissions of Inquiry set under the Constitution. It is therefore, purely an appellate court.

It has no original jurisdiction. A panel of three duly constitutes the Court of Appeal. Currently, the Court of Appeal is located in six regional capitals being; Accra, Cape Coast, Koforidua, Kumasi, Ho, and Tamale. The court currently has 34 judges and the latest addition of 15 brings the number of Court of Appeal Judges to 49.

Newly appointed judges

The newly appointed Court of Appeal Judges are Justice Alex Owusu-Ofori, Justice Emmanuel Ankamah, Justice Jerome Noble-Nkrumah, Justice Gifty Agyei Addo (Mrs.), Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe (Mrs.), Justice Samuel Obeng-Diawuo, Justice Hafisata Amaleboba (Mrs.) and Justice Kweku Tawiah Ackaah-Boafo.

The rest are Justice Jennifer Abena Dadzie, Justice Charles Edward Ekow Baiden, Justice Stephen Oppong, Justice Patrick Kwamina Baiden, Justice Christopher Archer, Justice Professor (Mrs.) Olivia Anku-Tsede and Justice Dr. Ernest Owusu-Dapaah