Minister of National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, has spoken about the importance of a robust and fair judicial system in maintaining the peace and stability of the country.
According to him, a strong judiciary was a pillar in the peace process because it will afford people the opportunity of using the courts to seek justice instead of taking the laws into their own hands.
He made these comments during a meeting last week with members of the judiciary to discuss the role of the third arm of government in Ghana’s national security architecture.
“If you are going to be able to address the security challenges that we have, especially the domestic ones, we need to ensure that there is a judicial system that works. If you do not have a judicial system that works, many people will simply take the laws into their own hands and misbehave and do what they want.”
He noted that Ghana had a positive perception within the sub-region, a perception that needed to be sustained and consolidated: “Therefore, in trying to manage the security situation, it is important for us that we do get a judicial system that works and we are all lucky that within the sub-region, we are perceived as a country where the judicial system works and where you could expect justice.”
He continued with an admonition, “If the interpretation of the law is tilted in our favour all the time, people will start accusing the judiciary and will not have the confidence that they need.”
The comment about perceived lopsided interpretation of the law has generated lots of reactions on social media with some people asking whether it was a tacit admission that the judiciary was doing the bidding of government.