File photo of judges at a state function
A communications team member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana K. Yeboah, a.k.a. Nana Kay has advised judges in the country to live by the oath they took in discharging their lawful duties.
According to him, as judges, they have to be fair, firm and be mindful of the rights of people in delivering justice.
Reacting to the complaints by judges over the non-payment of their allowances, he said judges are entitled to their allowances but must also work in a manner to make the delivery of justice smoother.
He wondered why some judges fail to preside over cases in a manner that will ensure speed but a fair trial.
He complained bitterly over the number of years some suspects and remanded persons have remained in prison for years without trial.
He said such experiences are bitter and against the fundamental rights of people hence the judges must be fast in presiding over cases and deliver their duty to ensure that we don’t have people stay on remand for years.
The Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG) has appealed to government to pay allowances due members on time.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Justice Senyo Dzamefe, President of AMJG, said: “We feel disrespected about the way our allowances are paid as if it is a favour being done to us.”
“For so many years, members have not been paid any fuel allowance. It has always been a ‘refund’. As usual we use our own money from our taxed salaries to purchase fuel,” he said at the opening of the 40th AMJG Annual General Meeting in Accra on Wednesday.
Regrettably, fuel allowances of magistrates and judges, refunded later after many months, were taxed as if they were paid upfront, he said.