President John Dramani Mahama has advised the 37 newly sworn-in High Court judges, to administer justice to all manner of persons without fear or favour.
The President made the remarks on Thursday, October 23, when he presided over the swearing in of the new High Court Judges at the Presidency in Accra.
Of the number, 31 were Circuit Court Judges, five private legal practitioners and one state attorney.
President Mahama said the occasion represented more than an appointment; saying “it is a renewal of our nation’s faith in the enduring principle that justice is a famous pillar of our democracy, and that Ghana shall always be governed by law and never by the whims of capricious power.”
He reminded the judges that the oath they had taken was not a mere constitutional ritual.
Quoting the late Chief Justice Philip Archer, President Mahama said: “It is a covenant between the judge and the people, a promise to rise above fear, favour, and friendship, and to judge as conscience and law command.”
The President said the judges had entered that covenant with the people, to interpret the law with fairness, to defend the weak with courage, and to uphold the dignity of the Republic through integrity and service.
He said within the architecture of the nation’s judiciary, the High Court occupied an exceptional and indispensable position.
“Indeed, the High Court is the people’s court. It is a forum where the law most directly touches the lives of our citizens,” he said.
“It is here that a market woman defends her rights to a piece of land inherited from her grandmother. It is here that a young entrepreneur sees justice in a contract dispute that could determine the survival or collapse of his business.
“It is here that a journalist defends the freedom to speak truth to power. And it is here that a parent prays for justice in the face of negligence, discrimination, or abuse,” the President noted.
Quoting former South African President Nelson Mandela, President Mahama said: “A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but how it treats its lowest.”
President Mahama reiterated that at the High Courts, this reality was lived every day.
“You, my Lords and Lady justices, are the living face of justice for millions who may never reach their appellate courts. Their faith in democracy will depend on the fairness, clarity, and compassion with which you administer justice,” he said.
“We live in a society that is younger, more assertive, and increasingly informed. Citizens follow judgments in real time. They debate rulings on social media and question institutions that once seemed sacred. This new environment is not a threat to justice. It is a call for relevance and accessibility.
President Mahama noted that justice must not hide behind ropes; declaring that it must walk amongst the people.
Mr Justice Francis Asong Obuojo on behalf of his colleagues, thanked President Mahama for the honour done them.
“We are here to assure you, the President, that for the confidence imposed in us and for this appointment, we will deliver justice to the people and the citizenry,” he stated.