Judiciary Holds Church Service to Usher in Legal Year

The Judiciary on Saturday held a church service at the Cathedral Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Accra to usher in the 60th Legal Year.

The theme for this Legal Year is: “Quality Judges, Delivering Quality Justice.”

Rev. George O. Kwapong, the District Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Tema North, in a sermon, admonished lawyers and judges to deliver services to the public as if they were rendering services to God, to whom they would render an account.

He said as lawyers and judges, it was improper to think and do things anyhow with the intent that “after death that is all”.

He said there was a reward for rendering faithful services, and tasked them to be faithful to the end of their lives in order to receive a reward.

Rev. Kwapong, using Samuel as a leader in the Bible, challenged lawyers and judges to see their work as a call to serve mankind.

He lauded the Judiciary for selecting the theme, which he described as apt and relevant for the country.

He said quality justice was fundamental because it made the public have absolute confidence in the judiciary, adding that quality could not therefore not be compromised.

He noted that the Judiciary had undergone several transformations, but its core values of protecting the rights and property remained the same.

Administering quality justice depended on the values of the individual’s creed, and those who administered quality justice were influenced by those values, he said.

He said there were several meanings to quality justice, which may include the speedy manner in which a matter was dealt with, the use of appropriate laws and statutes, and how people were treated in the administration of justice.

Rev. Kwapong said quality justice was possible so long as individuals were willing to work no matter the challenges.

He advised the judges and lawyers against covetousness, greed and pride among other things, but urged them to continue to believe in their God by serving faithfully and wholeheartedly because they would account for their stewardship.

The service brought together judges of the superior and lower courts, lawyers and chiefs.

Other dignitaries include former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice, and Mr Tony Forson, the National Vice President of the Ghana Bar Association.

Prayers were offered for Ghana, the Judiciary, Executive and the Legislature.

Source: GNA