President of the Republic of Ghana, Monday, paid glowing tribute to the Retired Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Georgina Theodora Wood, for her leadership of the Judiciary over the course of the past decade.

As the twelfth Chief Justice of the land, the first female to head the Judiciary, and its longest serving leader, President Akufo-Addo noted that “her career has been extraordinary, truly historic, and, amongst others, she has the enviable record of having sworn into office three Presidents of the Republic.”

The ultimate test of her leadership, he said, came two years ago, during the dramatic exposé of corruption in the Judiciary by one of the nation’s leading investigative journalists, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

“We have not yet lived down the trauma of the excruciating shock and embarrassment of seeing officers of our courts in such compromising situations. She, however, quickly rose to the challenge, and introduced reforms to restore some dignity to the Judiciary and re-establish the confidence of Ghanaians in the Judiciary,” he said.

The President continued, “I pay warm tribute to her distinguished service to our nation, and wish her a well-earned retirement, even though her public service is still not over, as she has now to take her place on the Council of State as a former Chief Justice. President Kufuor’s judgement, in selecting her for the office, has been roundly vindicated.”

President Akufo-Addo made this observation when he swore into office the new Chief Justice of the Republic, Justice Sophia Akuffo, on Monday, June 19, 2017, at the Banquet Hall of the State House.

Commenting further, President Akufo-Addo said the Chief Justice Georgina Wood’s decision to broadcast the proceedings of the famous election petition on television enhanced Ghana’s democracy.

“It helped in the process of demystifying judicial proceedings, and helped send the clear message from the majority on the Court that the controlling principle of judicial intervention in elections was the result delivered at the polling station, which would not be easily reversed by a Court. It is a salutary message,” he posited.