The Member of Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has called for knowledgeable and experienced judges in Ghana's Supreme Court to help maintain the integrity of the judiciary and ensure the rule of law is upheld in the country. The utterances of Ayariga come at a time when the country needs public confidence in the judiciary for democratic stability and good governance.
Speaking at a legal forum in Accra, Ayariga emphasized that the quality of judges determines the quality of the judiciary. He explained that only when judges are well-informed about the interpretation of the laws fairly and justly do citizens have confidence in them. "The judiciary is the last hope of the common man. We stand the risk of undermining the very foundation of our democracy if we do not have knowledgeable and erudite judges in the interpretation of the law," he said.
Ayariga, therefore, wants a stricter selection process for appointees to the bench to ensure that only those who have demonstrated some expertise in law, constitutional matters, and human rights are appointed to the bench. He further said the current system often rejects merit for political affiliations that may lead to the appointment of judges who would be incompetent to perform their duties. "We must ensure our judges are not only independent but also possess the required knowledge to tackle complex legal issues that arise in our courts," he added.
The statement by the MP reflected the apprehensions various legal experts and civil society organizations had taken up regarding the independence of the judiciary and the much-needed reforms. The critics add that such an empowered judiciary is important to protect the rights of the citizens and ensure exercises within the limits of the constitution.
Ayariga called on all stakeholders, including the legal community and policymakers, to collaborate toward the creation of frameworks that would result in increasing capacity in the judiciary. He hinged his solution for Ghana's legal system on investment in judicial education and training for judges.
It is within an increasingly loud tide of rhetoric concerning judicial reform that one senses the reverberations of Ayariga's plea for erudite justices in the Supreme Court as part of a greater longing to see an increased justice delivery framework in Ghana.
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