Opinions of Friday, 3 May 2024

Columnist: Anthony Obeng Afrane

The story of the incorruptible police woman

File photo File photo

It was about 9:30 am; It was raining cats and dogs, and a lady police constable had arrested a trotro driver for carelessly and dangerously driving through the traffic light between the 37 Military Hospital and the Flagstaff House even though the red light was on. I was observing from a distance and noticed that the driver attempted to bribe the policewoman but she refused to take it.

I later got to know that the driver had wanted to bribe the lady with a hundred Ghana Cedis. I went to the incorruptible policewoman to congratulate her for her sense of discipline and her patriotic stance. She pulled a five-cedi note from her breast pocket, showed it to me, and remarked: "This is all the money I have on me but I'll never take that GHC100." I was dumbfounded, and my heart leapt with joy. She told me she was with the Nima MTTU.

Coincidentally, as the honest policewoman was doing her best to help build Ghana, President John Dramani Mahama was busily advancing his transformational agenda. He was commissioning the New Judicial Court Complex in Accra. The fully furnished complex which is to replace courts located within the Cocoa Affairs premises was financed by the government at the cost of $50 million. It is one of the best in Africa.

The 5-floor complex has a floor area of about 30,000 square meters with more than 400 rooms including 42 courtrooms. It has 172 stair flights, 7 passenger lifts, 258 water closets, 247 hand basins, and 51 urinals.

Can we please take a tour of the complex? Okay, let's start with the ground floor. We have the Main Entrance Lobby, Reception/ Waiting area, Land Court 1, Land Court 2, Land Court 3, Land Court 4, Land Court 5, and Land Court Registry. There is also a Banking Hall, clinic, Media/Meeting Room, Public Canteen, Pay Point 1, Courtyard, and a Public Washroom. What a wow! Kikikikiki, do you want us to use the staircase or lift to the first floor? Oh, you mean we should use the lift?

Wheeeee, santan, we have landed on the first floor. In front of us is the Financial & Economic/ Labour Registry. The rest are Land Court 6, Land Court 7, Land Court 8, Land Court 9, Land Court 10, Criminal Court 1, Probate & Administration Court 1, Divorce & Matrimonial Court 1, Will Reading Room, Staff Canteen, Pay Point 2, Jury Room and Public Washroom. Sosket who say Magic Mahama no dey?

Second Floor: Criminal Court 2, Divorce & Matrimonial Court 2, Financial & Economic Court 1, Financial & Economic Court 2, Labour Court 1, Labour Court 2, Human Rights Court 1, Human Rights Court 2, Labour Court 1, Labour Court 2, Human Rights Court 1, Human Rights Court 2, Conference Room, Children's Playroom, Jury Room, J.T.I. Training Room, ADR/ Meeting Room 1, Public Washroom. Hehehehe, King Asoba will say kai, kai, kai, kai. No size!

Third Floor: Divorce & Matrimonial/ General Jurisdiction/ Criminal/ Probate & Administration Registry, Criminal Court 3, Criminal Court 4, General Jurisdiction Court 1, General Jurisdiction Court 2, General Jurisdiction Court 3, General Jurisdiction Court 4, Probate & Administration Court 2, Divorce & Matrimonial Court 3, Female Lawyers' Robing Room, Male Lawyers Robing Room, Pay Point 3, Jury Room, ADR/ Meeting Room 2, Attorney General's Office and Public Washroom. Abakade!

Fourth Floor: Commercial Court 1, Commercial Court 2, Commercial Court 3, Criminal Court 5, General Jurisdiction Court 5, General Jurisdiction Court 6, General Reference Room, General Reading Room, Judges' Electronic Library, Judges' Reading Room, Judges' Common Room, Jury Room, ADR/ Meeting Room 3 and Public Washroom. Socket! Changing Lives; Transforming Ghana in Second Gear!

Fifth Floor: The Honourable Chief Justice's Office Suite, Auditorium, V.I.P. Holding Room, Commercial Court Registry, Commercial Court 4, Commercial Court 5, Commercial Court 6, Commercial Court 7, Commercial Court 8, Commercial Court 9, Commercial Court 10, Criminal Court 6, Jury Room, J.T.I. Training Room, ADR/ Meeting Room 4, Video Conference Room, and Public Washroom. Chai, President Kufour go say edey sweet like honey.

What I witnessed that fateful Friday: the patriotism of the policewoman and the transformational agenda of the young man from Bole were clear indications that all is not lost that there is going to be the breaking of a new dawn, and that Ghana will rise again under the high-end leadership of H.E. John Dramani Mahama when he becomes president of the Republic of Ghana again on January 7, 2025.