Accra, June 2, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Wednesday assured the Judiciary of government's support and tasked it to improve upon its performance to engender absolute public confidence. President Mills, himself a lawyer, gave the assurance when a delegation from the Judicial Council, led by the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood, called on him at the Osu Castle in Accra, to discuss pertinent issues about the Judiciary.

He underscored the role of the Judiciary as an important arm of government and national development but regretted that some challenges had prevented it from playing that role satisfactorily. "Government would endeavour to equip the Judiciary, improve conditions to effectively discharge its duties, but it should reciprocate the gesture with improved services," he added.

They later held a meeting behind closed doors.

President Mills pointed out that the Judiciary could only make a meaningful impact when provided with the opportunity to effectively play its expected role.

He observed that there had been public complaints about its performance and asked for improvement to inspire public confidence. "I know that the Judiciary is not perfect, but we have to work at it so that people's confidence in it would be total and absolute," President Mills said.

He expressed worry about unsatisfactory working conditions in the Judiciary such as sitting down for long hours in the adjudication of cases. Similarly, residences of judges are sited far away, making them to commute for long distances to work.

The situation, President Mills noted, had affected other professional public servants such as doctors, and had been made worse by the illegal occupation of bungalows earmarked for such officials. President Mills commended the Bench for its services to the nation and called on the public to give them the due credit, rather than taking them for granted.

He gave the assurance that his administration would always give a listening ear to the Judiciary.

Mrs Justice Wood expressed gratitude to President Mills for the quick response by his administration to issues raised by the Judiciary since its assumption of office in January 2009.

She said government promptly responded to a request and directed the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to provide funds through the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) for the construction of a 34-roomed modern court complex for the Judiciary. In addition, Mrs Justice Wood said government had released a plot of land for the construction of a Judicial Training Institute, and responded swiftly to a request for the replacement of vehicles for senior judges. "It is only under President Mills' administration that the Judicial Council was reconstituted in April last year," she added. Mrs Justice Wood explained that the Council was instituted to improve the finances of the Judiciary and control embezzlement. She announced that measures had been instituted to improve the handling of cases at the regional levels.

However, Mrs Justice Wood said the Judiciary still faced some challenges in the delay of adjudication of cases and attitude of some staff who continued to tarnish image of the Judiciary. 2 June 10