“Ghana has the best constitution in this world, and let us make it work for us” and that it was fashioned in a way that reflects the country’s history and aspirations”, that is the last word of former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo before she retired.
The Akufo-Addo administration has recognized the coming into force of the 1992 constitution and the beginning of the 4 Republic and has presented a bill before parliament to amend the Public Holidays Act to include January 7, August 4 and September 21 as statutory public holidays.
Parliament approved the bills; however, every 7th January is Constitution Day and public Holiday.
Former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo who retired on December 20, 2019, charged her colleagues on the bench to protect Ghana by safeguarding the constitution.
“So I charge my colleagues on the Supreme Court, please protect Ghana by protecting your function, your judicial function, particularly functions that are yours under the constitution,” she said.
Making the Constitution work means protecting it from all actions that will attempt to undermine it, Sophia Akuffo said.
She added that Ghanaians should not compromise the Constitution to the advantage of the executive or legislature, and charged the gathering to protect Ghana.
“Let us not compromise it to the advantage of the executive, or to the advantage of the legislature. Our constitution was configured as it was because of our peculiar history and that is why unlike many constitutions so much power was given to the judiciary and particularly the Supreme Court.”
“So let us uphold and protect that function. It’s not the power by itself, it’s the function that arises from the power and thereby we protect every citizen in this country,” Ms. Akuffo warned.
Source: Kofi Atakora
