4 weeks ago
22 ARTICLE AD
The Judiciary has expressed its readiness to promptly deal with all election-related matters that are brought to the court before, during and after the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
This will be done under the strict guidance of the provisions made in the new Manual on Election Adjudication; the 5th edition.
The Judicial Secretary, Justice Cyra Pamela Koranteng, gave the assurance at a dialogue session with a Group of Eminent Persons from the Christian Council of Ghana in Accra.
In attendance were the Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo and members of the Elections Management Committee of the Judiciary (EMCJ) chaired by Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie.
Justice Koranteng said the courts’ are poised to swiftly deal with all election-related cases in accordance with law, and as per the guidelines provided in the new Manual on Election Adjudication.
The Chairman of EMCJ, Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie who highlighted key activities undertaken since the Chief Justice constituted the committee to oversee the Judiciary’s preparations towards the 2024 said the fifth edition of the Manual on election adjudication had been produced and was due to be launched.
He said the committee had hosted and participated in stakeholder engagements aimed at enhancing election adjudication, with specific reference to providing timelines for parliamentary election disputes.
Other engagements he noted have also been held with the National Peace Council, the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), International and National Election Observers, the Electoral Commission and Political Party representatives, and recommendations made to the rules of court committee and the Attorney-General.
Justice Bonnie Baffoe said a nationwide training has also been conducted to build capacity of Magistrates and High Court Judges who according to Regulation 21 (1) of the Public Elections Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2016 (C.I.91), are required to act as District Registration Review Officers (DRROs) and Chief Registration.
He said members of the committee had also visited the regions, to supervise activities of the DRROs and CRROs after the exhibition of voters register exercise by the Electoral Commission, all in a bid to providing a credible register and toured the country to orient and train Judges on duties of the courts before, during and after Parliamentary and Presidential elections.
The Co-Chair of the Christian Council of Ghana, Most Rev. Dr. Paul K. Boafo, who led the delegation said the council constituted the Eminent Persons Group (EPG); made up of “religious leaders from various faiths across Ghana, who have come together to promote peace, unity and stability through high level engagements before, during and after elections 2024”.
He described the meeting as ‘very informative and fruitful’, and promised to carry the message and concerns of the Judiciary across, as it engages all others who have a major stake in the forthcoming national elections.
The Chief Justice entreated all to have full confidence in the judicial arm of government, with the assurance that “the Judiciary has its structures in place adding that, Ghana’s Judiciary is a very prepared one, independent, and would never do anything to derail the peace of the country”.
BY TIMES REPORTER
