The Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, has stressed the need to inculcate the values of justice, fairness and integrity in children from an early age to promote a just society.
He said justice should not be left to judges, lawyers and the courts but must begin in homes, classrooms and communities, where children learn to respect the rights of others and stand up against wrongdoing.
He added that teaching children these values would help them develop the courage to protect the vulnerable and treat others fairly.
Baffoe-Bonnie made the call at the inauguration and swearing-in of officers of “Justice Clubs” in selected senior high schools and Orange Girls groups in the Northern and North East regions in Tamale.
The Orange Girls Programme is an initiative under the Office of the Chief Justice, in partnership with UNFPA designed to empower vulnerable young women, particularly kayayei who have completed JHS or SHS but are out of formal education, while exposing them to the Judiciary, legal profession and personal development opportunities.
The programme, held on the theme: “Cyber Security and Emerging Trends: Empowering the Youth in the Digital Era”, forms part of the Chief Justice's Mentoring Programme, instituted in 2008 by the former Chief Justice, Justice Georgina Theodora Wood.
The programme provides mentorship to students through the engagement of judges, magistrates and lawyers who guide and nurture them.
It seeks to expose students in second-cycle institutions and the Orange Girls to the work of the Judiciary and the administration of justice in Ghana, demystify the judicial process, foster interest in the rule of law and encourage responsible citizenship.
Since its introduction, the Justice Club has been successfully piloted in selected senior high schools across the Greater Accra, Western, Central, Eastern and Ashanti regions, as well as Orange Girls in Accra and Kumasi, where it has contributed significantly to inculcating values that promote discipline and integrity among students.
Justice promotion
In his remarks, the Chief Justice pointed out that children must learn to distinguish between what was convenient and what was right and have the courage to stand up for their convictions.
He explained that justice extended beyond court proceedings and legal decisions to include protecting the vulnerable, speaking against wrongdoing and preventing bullying, stressing “Justice begins long before a dispute reaches a courtroom”.
He urged the newly inaugurated executives to regard their positions as opportunities to serve their colleagues rather than privileges and to demonstrate honesty, humility and accountability.
The Chief Justice also cautioned the students against spreading unverified information on social media, urging them to verify claims, listen to all sides and avoid condemning people before establishing the facts.
He further encouraged girls not to allow their gender or age to limit their ambitions, while urging boys to respect girls and women and not use their strength to intimidate others.
Commendation
The Chief of Lamashegu, Naa Iddrisu Mohammed, lauded the initiative and said it would help educate the children on the country's justice system.
He pledged to replicate the initiative in his traditional area and invite the Chief Justice to mentor community members on the justice system to promote peaceful coexistence.
The President of the Justice Mentorship Club at the Savelugu Senior High School, Abassh Musah, pledged that members would expand the club's activities to address illegal mining, drug abuse and examination malpractice.
He said the club would promote the rule of law and inspire future generations to uphold integrity.
