The Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, has underlined that the judiciary is showing its total independence in a recent court case.
Speaking in as a panelist on Metro TV's Good Morning Ghana programme, Dr Okoe referenced the contempt case between Member of Parliament for the North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and board secretary to the National Cathedral, Rev Victor Kusi Boateng.
He argued that because structures of judicial independence, the sitting judge was able to give orders that would ordinarly be deemed in the interest of the defendant, that is Ablakwa.
“I just want to say that in all these occurrences, there is a lot of good that we might take for granted or we might overlook.
“In this country, when a citizen feels that another citizen who occupies a public office and is either saying something which is going against his reputation or integrity, he does not hire hitmen to try and go after the person.
“But goes for a lawyer to try and get the court to address the situation. Now, it has taken years of building this culture, I am very much encouraged when I see people trying to use the system even if not perfect, to try and get some comfort about something that they think is unfair.
“I’m also happy that the person involved in this case is a member of the minority, Hon. Ablakwa. We have a country where the system is such that a judge can step into a court and his first statement is, the procedure is wrong, so, go and come back later.
“There are countries where once you are presented before the court and you’re not in line with the government, you know your faith already…so, I’m happy with this kind of system,” he said.
