The Right Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, has commended the Justices of the Supreme Court hearing the election petition for their sense of patriotism.

He has, therefore, exhorted them not to be intimidated by propaganda or threat from any corner to speak the truth in the discharge of their duties and come with a verdict devoid of fear or favour.

Rt. Rev. Martey gave the commendation in a keynote address at the opening of the 13th General Assembly of the Church at Abetifi in the Kawhu South District of the Eastern Region.

The moderator said the president of the nine-member panel of the Supreme Court, Justice William Atuguba, did well for not mincing words in addressing politicians and persons who had made it their aim of running down institutions of state by their reckless actions and pronouncements.

He called on Ghanaians not to sit down and fold their arms for the interest and safety of Ghanaians to be taken for a ride by few reckless individuals who do not have the nation’s interest at heart.

The Moderator said the hope of every Ghanaian is in the rule of law, which is deeply rooted in the fear of God.

Rt. Rev. Martey said most of the woes that had plagued the country since independence was because some past and present leaders had tried to govern without the fear of God.

He urged the Judiciary to get closer to the people and civil society, since the country’s future in the current democratic dispensation do not lie either in the Executive or the Legislature, but with the Judiciary.

He acknowledged that the ongoing presidential election petition before the Supreme Court had brought the judiciary closer to the people to the extent that taxi drivers and market women could talk of “Amicus Curiae”, a Latin word which means a friend of the court.

The Moderator, therefore, called on the Judiciary to think of establishing a Court Television Station to educate the people who had now become amicus curiae.

Rt. Rev. Martey said: “Whether we are talking about corruption, indiscipline, violence, ethnic conflicts, people’s attitude to work, attitude to time and government property or injustice, without the rule of law embedded in the fear of God, Ghana is doomed.”

Mrs Helen Ntoso, Regional Minister, commended the Presbyterian Church of Ghana for its contribution to socio-economic development in areas like education, health and agriculture.

She said without doubt, the Government alone could not shoulder the responsibility of developing the nation.

Mrs Ntoso, therefore, encouraged the church and the entire Christian community and other faith-based organisations, to continue partnering the Government in its development efforts.

She asked Ghanaians to accept the verdict of the election petition case so that the country would continue to enjoy the prevailing peace.