Editorial by Ghanaian Times: Support Justice Torkornoo to bring honour to Ghana

On June 12, 2023, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as mandated by the country’s 1992 Constitution, swore in Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, a Justice of the Supreme Court, as the Chief Justice (CJ).

After taking office as the 15th CJ of the country and the third female CJ after Justice Georgina Theodora Wood (2007–2017) and Justice Sophia A. B. Akuffo (2017–20202020), Justice Torkornoo said she would do well to rebrand the judicial system in Ghana to deliver robust and cost-effective services to increase public trust in the courts.

Yesterday in Accra, Justice Torkornoo launched an initiative dubbed ‘Leading Justice: a strategic framework for increasing legality, ethics, assets, digitalisation and due process in justice delivery.’

We once again congratulate Justice Torkornoo on her appointment and on being the first Chief Justice to launch such an initiative to enhance the quality of justice delivery nationwide.

Our story on page 9 gives a fair glimpse of what the CJ hopes to achieve.

Highlighting the use of technology, particularly digitalization, as part of her vision to bring justice to the people, Justice Torkornoo has clearly sent out the message that she is in tune with current happenings in her chosen career.

We are also aware of Justice Torkornoo’s vast experience, including being active in the core reform agenda and activities of the Judiciary and the Judicial Service of Ghana (JSG) since 2005; serving as a judicial leader in the development and oversight of a number of reform projects of the Judiciary involving the European Union, USAID, DFID, and collaborations with other African countries; and being involved in reforms in streamlining Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in commercial justice delivery in circuit and high courts that led to the passage of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Amendment Rules 2020 (CI 133) in the country.

And, of course, we do not discount the ability of Justice Torkornoo to acquire new knowledge and skills to enhance her performance.

We, therefore, join her in her appeal for the necessary assistance from the relevant institutions for her to deliver.

For instance, her request for increased budgetary allocations to the judiciary to expand infrastructure on the automation and digitalization agenda must constantly capture the attention of the Ministry of Finance.

Justice Torkornoo has made her vision clear, and this makes it easier for the sources of assistance to begin to think about what they can do to help her even before she officially or officially approaches them.

That goodwill will help Justice Torkornoo deliver as expected and possibly even beyond what she has envisaged.

The Ghanaian Times stands ready to trumpet the CJ’s feats once it gets to know about them.

Those of us working on the paper know that though Justice Torkornoo will be accorded some honour for her success as the Chief Justice, Ghana will be accorded the bigger honour in the community of nations if its judiciary is run well.

As we hail you, Justice Torkornoo, we wish to make this single appeal: Kindly do well to stamp out corruption from the justice delivery system and make all Ghanaians equal before the country’s laws.