Kan-Dapaah's comment on judges' ruling in favor of NPP, a perception or reality?

The Minister of National Security, Albert Kan-Dapaah, has drawn huge criticism from members of his own elephant family over his comments on justice delivery in our country and its associated impact on national security.

The Minister indicated that "if the interpretation of the law is tilted in our favor all the time, people will start accusing the judiciary

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A former attorney general and a member of the elephant family said the minister could not have made such a statement if he had sought legal advice, noting that the judges give rulings based on law and not feelings. His view was supported by the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s Legal Committee Chairman, Frank Davies.

He argued that "saying that one political party is in power [so] the justices should be mindful of how they interpret the law is completely lopsided. National security would be threatened in what way? So, what?

However, the legal director of the opposing National Democratic Congress, Mr. Abraham Amaliba, said he agreed totally with the national security minister.

He said the minister spoke based on the perceptions out there. He wondered and asked? The current Attorney General used to go to court with his colleagues, and he won certain cases and lost some. He sat in the same class as his colleagues during law school, and now he seems to be winning every case in court. What do you call that? Mr. Amaliba and his colleagues stated their positions during an interview on Joy News.

However, there are divergent opinions outside of the two political divides. A senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, says Ghanaians will be in danger if the National Security Minister goes mute on issues that threaten the country’s security.

The lecturer who spoke to Benjamin Akakpo of Joy News added that, "this is a national security matter. If we don’t take care and people decide that we won’t go to court and take matters into our own hands, there will be chaos."

Judiciary justice is paramount in every society as it helps to put to rest the differences between two opposing parties. We must jealously guard our judicial system and implore the high-ranking justices to always base their decisions solely on the law and without fear or favor.