President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday swore in 21 newly appointed justices to the Court of Appeal, urging them to uphold integrity, fairness, and resilience in the face of rising public scrutiny of the judiciary.
Among the appointees was the Dormaahene, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, known in his judicial capacity as Justice Daniel Mensah, who also serves as President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs.
Speaking at the ceremony on October 2, President Mahama acknowledged growing criticism of judicial decisions in Ghana but said such scrutiny should be viewed as a mark of public confidence rather than a threat to the courts.
“In recent times, our courts have not escaped criticisms. Citizens have openly and sometimes harshly questioned judicial decisions,” he said.
“But I want to say clearly—criticism of judgements is not the end of hope; it is the evidence of hope. It shows that Ghanaians still believe in the courts, that justice still matters, and that verdicts have meaning in their lives,” he added.
He cautioned, however, against allowing discourse to erode into cynicism, warning that a loss of faith in judicial impartiality would be dangerous for Ghana’s democracy.
“What we must guard against is cynicism—the corrosive belief that the courts no longer serve the people but only the powerful in society,” the President stressed.
