Ghana’s Judiciary is poised 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.
At a dialogue session with a Group of Eminent Persons from the Christian Council of Ghana in Accra, the Chief Justice of the Republic; Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornooo, together with members of the Elections Management Committee of the Judiciary chaired by His Lordship Paul Baffoe Bonnie ]SC, and the Judicial Secretary; Her Ladyship Justice Cyra Pamela C.. Koranteng JA, assured Ghanaians of the Courts’ readiness 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 the Elections Management Committee (EMC) of the Judiciary, His Lordship Justice Paul Baffoe Bonnie of the Supreme Court highlighted key activities undertaken since the Chief Justice constituted the Committee in the 2023/2024 Legal Year, to oversee the Judiciary’s preparations towards the 2024 General Elections.
Key activities of EMC of Judiciary
i. Produced the fifth (5) edition of the Manual on Election Adjudication which is due to be launched.
ii. Hosted and participated in stakeholder engagements aimed at enhancing election adjudication, with specific reference to providing timelines for parliamentary election disputes. Engagements were held with groups such as the National Peace Council, Center 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.
iii. Conducted nationwide training 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.1.91), are required to act as District Registration Review Officers (DRROs) and Chief Registration Review Officers (CRROs) during the limited registration and exhibition of the voters register.
iv. Members of the Committee visited the Regions, to superoise 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.
v. Members of the Committee toured the nation to orient and train Judges on duties of the Courts before, during and after Parliamentary and Presidential elections.
vi. The Committee will soon launch the Manual, conduct intensive training for Superior Court Judges, sensitize the public and continue to engage stakeholders.
The 5th Election Manual
The fifth edition, unlike its predecessors, has been published in three volumes, (unlike the earlier editions, since the initial production in 2008).
The segregation has become necessary, acknowledging growth of the law and the variety of stakeholders, who would have different uses for the information contained therein.
Volume 1; the Manual, encapsulates general guidelines and considerations a party to a Presidential or Parliamentary dispute should consider, in terms of capacity, jurisdiction, and procedure.
Volume 2 is a compendium of election related laws including the necessary statutory forms.
Volume 3, is a Digest of cases which provide insights into how the superior courts have dealt with previous cases, including constitutional interpretations provided by the Supreme Court.
The Manual has a whole chapter on the strides being made by the Judiciary to improve timelines for the adjudication of election related disputes, detailing various papers and roadmaps to guide stakeholders/public discourse to get the necessary institutional and statutory reforms implemented.
It also contains recent decisions from the High Court on the Parliamentary election disputes arising out of the 2020 General Elections.
This volume has also referenced all the cases which were consulted as Judges made their decisions on these disputes to serve as further reference materials for practitioners.
Purpose of meeting
The Eminent Persons Group (EPG) led by its Co-Chair Most Rev. Dr. Paul K. Boafo; the Immediate Past Presiding Bishop of The Methodist Church Ghana, sought audience with Her Ladyship the Chief Justice to acquaint themselves with the Judiciary’s preparedness towards election 2024.
According to the leader of the delegation, the Christian Council of Ghana 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”
The Group described the session with the leadership of the Judiciary and its team members 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”.
She added, that “Ghana’s Judiciary is a very prepared one, independent, and would never do anything to derail the peace of the country.”
Source: www.kumasimail.com
