The Chief Justice, Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has inaugurated 13 Justice Clubs for Senior High Schools in the Western and Central regions at a ceremony held at Fijai Senior High School in Sekondi.
The formation of the Justice Clubs is part of a Judicial Service initiative aimed at exposing young people to the values of justice, integrity and accountability while nurturing their interest in the country’s justice system.
The schools are the Ghana National College, Mfantsipim, Wesley Girls, Edinaman, Mfantsiman, and Methodist Senior High Schools, all in the Central Region.
The others were Diabene, Archbishop Porter Girls, Fijai, Takoradi, Sankor and Methodist Senior High Schools in the Western Region.
Addressing the students, the Chief Justice used his background from Goaso in the Ahafo Region to encourage the students, urging them to be disciplined, diligent and dedicated to their books while in school, as education held the key, regardless of their background or where they came from.
“It is possible to achieve any dream with determination and discipline and not the background or home one comes from,” he stated.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said the clubs were intended to help students grow into adults who would uphold and defend the principles of fairness and justice in all aspects of life.
“Listen to both sides at all times and do not condemn anyone without hearing them first.
“In our everyday lives, we all come into contact with the law, so it is important to remember that these values are not only for club members but for everyone,” he advised.
He urged the club members to be disciplined, use technology responsibly, and work with their mentees to design programmes and projects that promote positive behaviour and influence thought patterns constructively.
Foundational pillars
The Chairperson of the Chief Justice Mentoring Programme, Justice Professor Olivia Anku Tsede, said conscience was essential in promoting a just and equal society. She urged the club members to be real advocates for justice for a more inclusive society.
The Judicial Secretary, Musah Ahmed, said the occasion symbolised a pivotal milestone in the Judicial Service’s relentless devotion to promoting legal awareness and civic responsibility among the youth.
He said the encouraging feedback from the emerging clubs had motivated the programme to expand so that more young people could actively engage with and learn from the nation’s entrenched justice system.
Mr Ahmed explained that through the clubs and under the careful guidance of seasoned mentors from both the Bench and the Bar, students would explore three vital concepts that would serve as foundational pillars in their journey.
