We�ll Resist Any Unconstitutional Removal Of CJ: Judges

The Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG) and the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) have jointly condemned what they say are unwarranted attacks on the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood, and the judiciary in general.

In a joint statement issued Wednesday, the two bodies said they �will strongly resist any attempt to remove the Chief Justice by any unconstitutional and cruel means,� and urged her to pursue vigorously, on-going reforms aimed at addressing challenges confronting the Judiciary and the Judicial Service and not to be distracted by any cowardly acts of barbaric intimidation.

The statement, signed by Justices Joseph Akamba and Elizabeth Ankumah, President and Secretary respectively of the AMJG, as well as Messrs Adia Abdul-Latif and Ato Quansa, National President and General Secretary respectively of JUSAG, comes on the heels of a recent condemnation of the Chief Justice by a group, the Network of Social Democrats, who asked Her Ladyship to resign her office in 14 days or be forced out because her regime has failed woefully to maintain professional standards in the judiciary.

The AMJG and JUSAG in their statement observed that rather than the resort to threats and intimidation as expressed in the �persistent vicious and ill motivated attacks on the Judiciary by a section of the public under varying names and descriptions,� �challenges confronting the Judiciary and the Judicial Service amidst logistical and financial constraints coupled with the difficult and poor conditions of service for both Judges and Staff ought to be the focus for all believers in the rule of law.�

The statement said as members of the Judiciary and the Judicial Service, they are not above criticism, however, they have a sacred duty to God and country to render justice, a duty they said they will do to the best of their ability. However anyone convinced he has a case against any judge, including the Chief Justice, must resort to constitutional means.

�As a country, we have our lessons to learn from our own surroundings in the West African sub region where past years of lawlessness and vandalism have rendered otherwise thriving and exuberant economies to beggar states. Let not the deliberate peddling of falsehood and mischievous comments lead us into tearing down the very institutions that the good people of this country have mandated under our Constitution to safeguard our current constitutional dispensation. This decade is for Africa and it must be so for the right reasons - that we are also capable of governing ourselves with respect for institutions established to ensure good governance and rule of law.

�The Constitution has laid down procedures for the removal of Judges and those who strongly believe they have any case against any judge including the Chief Justice should resort to the constitutional provisions and refrain from irresponsible and criminal acts.

Source: myjoyonline.com