President Mahama Calls for Strengthening Judicial Training Institute to Modernize Ghana’s Courts
President John Dramani Mahama has called for the Judicial Training Institute to be strengthened as a center of excellence for continuous legal education, during the investiture of Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as Chief Justice of Ghana.
Speaking today Monday, 17th November, 2025, at the ceremony, President Mahama highlighted the importance of equipping judges and judicial officers to meet the demands of a modern judiciary. “A modern judiciary demands continuous learning because the law is constantly evolving through new legislation, international obligations, and emerging areas such as cyber law, environmental law, and complex commercial transactions,” he said.
He stressed that judicial training should encompass not only law but also ethics, judgment writing, court administration, and the use of technology. “I therefore encourage you to strengthen the Judicial Training Institute as a center of excellence for continuing legal education, to promote regular training in ethics, judgment writing, court administration, and the use of technology for our judges and judicial officers,” President Mahama stated.
The President also urged the development of clear performance standards and evaluation mechanisms for judges and magistrates, emphasizing that such reforms must not compromise judicial independence. “A judiciary that learns is a judiciary that leads,” he noted, calling for collaboration with the bench, bar, academia, and civil society to promote research, publications, and constructive dialogue.
President Mahama underlined that a well-trained judiciary is essential for upholding justice, human rights, and the rule of law. “Our citizens must know and feel that justice in Ghana is not for sale, and that no one, regardless of their power or status, is too powerful or too humble to be held accountable under the law,” he said.
By prioritizing judicial education and continuous professional development, the President said Ghana’s judiciary would be better equipped to deliver fair, timely, and accessible justice across the country.
