Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo pictured with some of the students
Chief Justice Getrude Sackey Torkornoo has provided a further platform for the mentoring of Ghana’s youth by launching an Enhanced Chief Justice Mentoring Programme.
The mentoring programme which was first launched in 2008 has been enhanced by the inclusion of Justice Clubs across Senior High Schools (SHS) in the country and an introduction of a moot court competition among the schools.
The programme among other things, aims at opening up of the work of the Judiciary to young people, thereby enriching their understanding of the work of the justice sector within the nation.
It is also designed to inspire young people to take up service in and for the nation, whether in the Judiciary or in other equally noble arenas.
Justice Torkonoo speaking at the launch, indicated that the introduction of the Justice Clubs into schools and communities as part of the Chief Justice’s mentoring programmes aims to deepening the understanding of the rule of law, legality and justice in the nation.
She said the purpose is to provide mentorship to students beyond the one-day annual programme on all the concepts of legality and constitutionalism that Ghana’s democracy stands on.
“The goal is to create an ever-growing corps of students in SHS and identifiable groups of young people who have been deliberately and properly mentored and equipped with knowledge about the concept of rights, entitlements, obligations, legality and justice that make for a strong regime in constitutionalism and the rule of law for any democracy,” she said.
Justice Torkornoo expressed the desire to inaugurate more justice clubs in the regions of Ghana next year.
Addressing this year’s theme – ‘I Pledge Myself to the Service of Ghana,’ she said a nation’s greatness comes from the collective sum of the individual efforts of its citizens, wherever and however they may apply themselves.
She encouraged the youth that it is their efforts that will make this country, like those nations that they admire, great, prosperous and strong.
“Above all, let this programme kindle and sustain in you, the spirit of service to the nation with integrity and selflessness, and an unshakeable commitment to lawful behaviour and conduct,” justice Torkornoo added.
Moot Court
This year’s programme saw five schools; St. Mary’s Senior High School, Accra High School, Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School, SOS Hermann Gmeiner International College, and Chemu Senior High Technical School partaking in a moot court competition.
Accra High School were crowned overall winners while SOS Hermann Gmeiner International College finished second and St. Mary’s SHS finished third.
All the participating schools were presented with certificates while the top three school were given cash prizes by the Judicial Service.
The Chief Justice on her own also awarded Accra High School, the winners with another cash prize.
Certificates were also presented other groups, including ‘Orange Girls,’ a Justice Club among young ladies plying their trade in the markets as Kayayei.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak