At inauguration of new A-G, Ministry of Justice Office Complex:  l’m committed to corruption fight …says Pres as he hails A-G for completion of law project

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says he will not sacrifice due process and the rules of natural justice in the fight against corruption.

According to him, he remained an ardent believer in the need to stamp out corruption in the society, however, this would not be done against due process and rules of natural justice.

“For my part and let me state it again for the record, I will not set aside due process and the rules of natural justice on the altar of the fight against corruption no matter how much opprobrium this position incurs for me,” he stressed.

President Akufo-Addo said this in Accra yesterday when he inaugurated the newly constructed office complex for the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice.

The new 10-storey complex has a two-tier car park, a conference room, and 130 offices for staff of the ministry and the Attorney General’s Department.

The Project was commenced in July 2005 under the erstwhile Kufuor administration, but stalled after 2009. However, following the assumption of office of President Akufo-Addo, work started again.

Inaugurating the facility, President Akufo-Addo said the edifice was not just a celebration of a new building, but a collective commitment to the rule of law and justice in the country.

He noted that the new building sym­bolised government’s strong dedication to upholding the tenets of the rule of law, which was the bedrock of any thriving democracy.

President Akufo-Addo said the situ­ation where the Attorney-General had handled international arbitration solely represented a marked departure from previous practice, where external legal expertise was often sought.

He said the strengthened Attor­ney-General’s Office had demonstrated notable success, effectively advocating Ghana’s interest on the internation­al stage and achieving favourable outcomes, various arbitration proceed­ings, including reducing the cost of proceedings for the state.

“This is proof of our belief that a strong legal system is essential to the development and prosperity of our nation,” he stated.

President Akufo-Addo said his gov­ernment had embarked on a journey of digitisation and modernisation of the legal and judicial systems, adding that “the official administration of jus­tice must keep pace with technological advancements”.

In addition to this, he said his gov­ernment had also committed itself to improving judicial infrastructure, pro­viding resources to ensuring the safety and security of janitors who often face risks in the line of duty.

He reassured Ghanaians that the law enforcement agencies of the state, including the Office of the Attor­ney-General, would do all within their power to ensure that law and order prevailed in the country at all times, especially during this critical election year.

“We will not allow the peace, securi­ty and stability of the nation which has made Ghana a beacon of democracy on the African continent to be com­promised on the altar of the ambitions of any political party or presidential candidate. It will not happen,” he stressed.

The President assured that the laws in the statute books, including those on vigilantism, would be strictly and vig­orously enforced to preserve the peace and tranquility of the country.

“We owe that to the good people of Ghana, who have demonstrated so consistently and openly their deep attachment to peaceful democratic values,” he added.

He urged the Judiciary to continue to adapt and evolve the country’s legal system to meet the changing needs of the society, adding, “But in so doing, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to justice, fairness, and equality for all.”

President Akufo-Addo commend­ed the Attorney-General for his resourcefulness in leading the con­struction and delivery of the facility.

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, on his part, explained that when he assumed office in 2021, the state of completion of the entire work was 36 per cent. However, through support and commitment, the project had been completed.

He commended particularly the President and the former Finance Min­ister, Ken Ofori-Atta, for their passion and allocation of funds to see to the completion of the project.

The Chief Justice, Mrs Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, commended the government for the completion of the project and the numerous initiatives undertaken to enhance justice delivery in the country.

She appealed for the office complex of the Attorney-General’s Department to be replicated across the country.

 BY CLIFF EKUFUL

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