By
Emmanuel Todd/ Jacqueline Appiagyei, GNA
Accra, Oct. 31, GNA – The Chief Justice,
Sophia A. B. Akuffo, has urged the Judiciary and the Judicial Service to adopt
the culture of continuous review of its five year strategic plan to make it
remain relevant.
She said the review of the institution’s
plan from time to time would help them to make changes and inputs to their five
years targeted plan.
She said it was important to bring all
stakeholders of the institution on board so as to enable each person know his
or her role in implementing the institutions’ targeted plans.
Her Ladyship made this statement at the
opening of a two-day Validation Workshop held to adopt ‘The Five Year Strategic
Plan for the Judiciary and Judicial Service from 2020-2024’ in Accra.
She said the five-year Strategic Plan
would affirm efforts to provide quality, efficient and accessible Court
services, continuously adopt the use of Information and Communication
Technology, ensure continuous legal education, increase transparency and
accountability, for the use of public resources and to be a good community
partner by increasing and adopting pro-poor and community outreach programmes.
Chief Justice Akuffo said for the past
two decades, the service had undergone transformation to improve its
responsiveness to the citizens in accordance with its mandate under the
Constitution.
She said in the past, the efforts to
reform were ad hoc, and not synchronized to provide a long-term plan to
effectively deliver on the Service’s mandate, adding that reforms were thus
dependent on immediate needs, a system which worked to some extent.
She cited the Fast Track High Court’s
establishment and provision with computers, audio recorders and case management
facilities for speedy and effective trial as an initial effort.
She said the current Plan, had been
validated and it would build upon past successes in meeting the greater demands
placed upon the Service.
She said the new document would provide
fresh impetus and guidance on how the Judiciary must broaden, deepen and
sustain transformation for the long-term adding, “at the same time, it retains
a clear and present focus on the directive mandate that the Constitution
provides for the Judiciary of Ghana”.
Mr Tuinese Edward Amuzu, Key Expert in
Rule of Law, speaking on behalf of the European Union and Accountability, Rule
of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP), said working alongside with the
Judicial Reforms and Projects Department through which ARAP had collaborated to
training of Judges of both the lower and superior Courts, including Judges of
the Court of Appeal has been very productive.
He said ARAP had also supported the
electronic platform for the Public Relations and Complaints Units of the
Judicial Service and work with the Communications Department was supported with
recent publication and printing of copies of the Judicial Digest.
He said they were working on the
electronic Legal Web Library that would come into reality soon.
He said as ARAP comes to an end in
January 2021 they were hopeful that the gains made would be sustained and
enduring result from the collaboration with the Judiciary and the Judicial
Service that this Strategic Plan could be the next step to a new way forward.
Justice Anthony Benin, Chairman of the
opening ceremony, said Judges and magistrates were the ultimate owners and
beneficiaries of the product out come and that they were not at the workshop as
consultants but shareholders, hence they should approach the discussions with
all seriousness to have a solid detailed and implementable strategic plan which
would meet both internal and external expectations.
Madam Cynthia Pamela Addo, Judicial
Secretary, said the second day of the workshop would host administrative and
court staff to discuss the Plan.
She said the workshop would give the
opportunity for an overview of the Plan, participants would be broken into
small groups to discuss various aspects of the document and propose
recommendations for the fine-tuning of the Plan to be discussed at the Plenary
Session.
She said it was their expectation that
the summary of recommendations would be adopted and incorporated into a
workable final document that will meet our collective aspirations and drive us
to our goal of excellence and quality justice delivery.
GNA
