UPHOLD IMAGE OF JUDICIARY (MIRROR, PAGE 34, MAY 15, 2010)

From Joe Okyere, Cape Coast.

The Supervising High Court Judge of Central Region, Mrs Justice Francesca Owusu-Ansah, has tasked members of the bench and staff of the Judiciary Service to uphold the image of the service at all times.
Mrs. Owusu-Ansah said as the arm of government entrusted with the dispensation of justice to all manner of people, the Judiciary Service had the onerous duty of being fair and impartial in the administration of justice.
Launching a revised code of conduct for the bench and staff, she said people, therefore, considered the institution as sacrosanct and that its sanctity must be preserved. She, therefore, advised members of the bench and the staff not to do anything to undermine the judiciary.
She said her outfit would not hesitate to apply the necessary sanctions against those who flouted the code for their personal interest.
She further advised them to change their attitude which sometimes gave wrong perceptions about the bench, avoid interference, as well as behaviour which undermined and tarnished the image of the service.
The Supervising High Court Judge urged them to uphold the confidentiality, trust and impartiality expected of them.
Mrs Owusu-Ansah said the code had been revised to meet modern trends and technological development as well as recruitment of new hands due to retirement, resignations and so on.
On the deplorable situation of the court building in Cape Coast, she said there was the need for major renovation to make work more conducive and that land had been acquired at the Fourth Ridge for the building of a new court complex since the old building was now in the centre of the town and, therefore, not suitable for the promotion of efficient work.