The President, John Dramani Mahama, has said the government respects the Judiciary and will continue to strengthen it to deliver its constitutional mandate without fear or favour.
Although he described Ghana’s Judiciary as very strong, he nonetheless pointed out the need to continuously develop it because “when things come to a deadlock, it is the Judiciary that unlocks them”.
President Mahama said this when he received the Chief Justice of Brazil, Mr Justice Joachim Barbosa, at the Flagstaff House in Accra yesterday.
Mr Justice Barbosa was led to the seat of government by a Ghanaian team headed by Mr Justice William Atuguba, a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana.
In the team were the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah Oppong, and Mrs Justice Sophia Adinyira, a Justice of the Supreme Court.
First Black Chief Justice
Justice Barbosa, the first Black Chief Justice of Brazil, is in the country to confer with his Ghanaian counterpart on strengthening judicial cooperation between Ghana and Brazil.
Judiciary and democracy
Mr Mahama said the Judiciary played a crucial role in the democratic dispensation and, therefore, pledged that everything would be done to ensure that it delivered.
Ghana-Brazil relationship
Recounting relations between Ghana and Brazil, the President said it dated back to the time Ghana gained independence.
That, he said, had been further strengthened in recent times, especially when former President Lula da Silva visited Ghana a few years ago.
Under President da Silva, he said, the two countries signed a number of cooperation agreements in a win-win situation.
Ghana, President Mahama said, had a project to bring in Brazilian tractors to bolster agricultural mechanisation.
“President Lula’s first visit to Ghana marked a very good occasion to build on the relations between our two countries,” he told the visiting Brazilian Chief Justice.
Mr Mahama said Ghana was proud to host a number of Brazilian companies that were operating in various sectors, particularly agriculture.
Recognition
He recognised the rise of Mr Barbosa to the high office of Chief Justice, his reputation as a strong jurist and prayed that he would continue to achieve success in his activities.
Black Stars
The President said Ghana’s Black Stars would be in Brazil for the FIFA World Cup and expressed the hope that the team would make a huge impact during the tournament.
Mr Barbosa
Mr Barbosa talked about how he was happy to be in Ghana, a country where many of his countrymen and women had lived without any problems.
He thanked the President for opening up to Brazil in all spheres of development.
In 2003, Mr Barbosa became the first Black ever to serve on the Brazil Federal Supreme Court.