She stressed that the support of chiefs was key to the development of a credible database of land ownership which
would lead to the expeditious resolution of land disputes to boost economic growth.
Land Ownership Database; an Incentive for Economic Growth
Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, Chief Justice, Delivering her speech
“Allow me on this occasion to touch on an aspect of justice delivery that is presenting huge blockade to the administration
of justice and investment within our society; the subject of land administration. The subject of the proper administration of
land and ownership has now become an extremely sour point, that the courts need the active attention of our houses of
chiefs and ethnic leaderships on.
The Chief Justice was speaking at the Opening of the 2023 Annual Chief Justice’s Forum in Ho, which was on the theme:
“Building the Pillars of Justice.”
According to Chief Justice Sackey Torkornoo, “whether land ownership is traced to clans, families or stools, this is invariably
a matter of custody, and invariably a matter of fact determined only by clear and cogent evidence presented by leaders of
the stools or families that the lands belong to”.
“When evidence is compromised by inconsistencies, contradictions and alleged parallel lines of leadership, investors become
trapped within these consistencies and contradictions. They are carried over to courts to resolve issues that have arisen out
of these inconsistencies and contradictions, and citizens, who only wish to plan their lives and pursue wealth creation, become
victims of the pains caused by unclear land ownership lines.
“This situation is clearly shaking the ethical foundations of economic growth of our country, and we must pay attention to it,”
she noted.
Participants at the Forum
“It is my deep and sincere cry to the Houses of Chiefs to begin to pay close attention to creating clear records of ownership
of lands within the various paramountcies - whether the land ownership is vested in families, clans or stools.
“As custodians of customs, please allow the courts to look to you for support in building this pillar of justice - a database of
land ownership in our country. This will assist in early and prompt resolution of what has become an almost excruciating
path of justice delivery, and a huge disincentive to investments in the country for both citizens and foreigners, individuals
and corporate bodies alike.
The Hon. Lady Chief Justice emphasized the need for traditional authorities to partner the Judiciary to “try to create a legal
system that understands the unique circumstances and challenges faced by us as Ghanaians - in this case a society in which
the most precious asset for human living, land, is primarily vested in people groups and not the state or individuals.
“By placing collective consciousness of the impact of the way land ownership is being managed by communities at the center
of deliberations at the level of traditional leadership, traditional leaders can ensure that we render the obligation to deliver
justice as not just a cold and personal concept to be understood only by the court, but the collaborative leadership based
effort that brings prosperity to the people.”
Participants at the Forum
Other Pillars of Justice
Dwelling on the theme of the Forum, the Chief Justice noted that in building the pillars of justice, stakeholders in the
justice sector must embrace an ethical culture of fairness and equity and work together in the spirit of cooperation,
collaboration and accountability for the achievement of the shared aims of justice demanded by the people of Ghana.
She also reminded stakeholders on the need to foster the culture of rule of law as a means of promoting order,
stability and confidence in the justice system.
Chief Justice Sackey Torkornoo noted that the accumulation of legal knowledge among citizens as a pillar of justice would
empower them on their rights and responsibilities, and promote a healthy understanding of the work of the Judiciary, and
further appealed to society to “collectively embrace” electronic court processes for effective justice delivery.
The Forum was chaired by Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, Paramount Chief of Anfoega and President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs,
who commended the Judicial Service for the initiative, and said it would boost confidence in the administration of justice.
Paramount Chief of Anfoega and President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs
Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, delivering his speech
“To most Ghanaians, justice is still a half open and a half closed book, and it is only when such forums are organised that
the everyday person gets to appreciate what justice delivery is all about,” he said.
A Deputy Minister for Justice and Deputy Attorney-General, Diana Asonaba-Dapaah, was hopeful that the focus of participants
at the forum would ‘extend to the grassroots level, where the efficacy of our justice system is most profoundly felt by the citizens
we serve. Justice delivery at the grassroots level is not a lofty ideal but a practical necessity. It is here that the pillars of justice
must be not only visible but also accessible, providing a tangible foundation for the communities we aim to empower’.
Hon. Diana Asonaba-Dapaah Deputy Minister for Justice and Attorney-General giving her speech
She underscored the importance of the annual event, stressing “It is through open conversations, partnerships, and a
commitment to transparency that we can bridge the gap between the legal system and the people it serves. I am particularly
eager to participate in discussions that exhume innovative interventions aimed at bolstering the public image of our justice system.”
Background
The annual event brought together stakeholders in the justice sector, traditional and local authorities, the security services;
Non-Governmental Organizations, faith-based organizations and ordinary citizens to discuss the state of justice delivery and
explore the improvements and interventions which are necessary to build the pillars of justice.
CJ (sitting, middle) in a group photograph with Judges
After the Opening Ceremony, participants were broken into groups to brainstorm on selected topics around the theme for
the Forum after which a plenary session was conducted by the lead facilitator for the Forum, Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Budu,
Dean of the GIMPA Faculty of Law, to collate and discuss ideas gathered at the brainstorming session.
Participants in group sections