Judges Praise 100% IGF Retention for Judicial Service
Judges hail government's approval to retain all internally generated funds.
The Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG) has praised the government for approving the retention of 100% of Internally Generated Funds (IGF) by the Judicial Service.
Previously, the Judicial Service kept only 30% of its IGF, with 70% sent to the government. The new decision changes this, allowing the Service to keep all its internally generated revenue.
This represents a 70% increase compared to the previous arrangement. The President of AMJG, Justice Olivia Obeng Owusu, announced the development at the opening of the 45th Annual Conference of AMJG in Accra.
She expressed gratitude to the government and highlighted the role of the Chief Justice in making the decision possible.
Justice Obeng Owusu noted that the approval will improve resource allocation to the Judiciary. It will enable judges and magistrates to carry out their constitutional duties more effectively.
She stressed that other areas still need attention to ensure fairness for judicial officers. The two-day conference focuses on the theme, ‘Balance Beyond the Bench: Harmonising Duty, Justice and Life.’
The theme reminds judges that they are not only legal officers but also family people with lives beyond the courtroom.
She expressed concern about increasing social media attacks on judges. Decisions are often shared online without context, leading to attacks on judges and their families.
She said such attacks undermine public trust in the justice system and threaten judicial independence.
She praised the Chief Justice for responding quickly to an attack on the Kwame Danso District Court.
She called for better working conditions, proper accommodation, timely payments, and protection for judges. She said true balance is impossible without adequate support for judicial officers.
Stakeholders must create an environment that allows the Judiciary to deliver justice effectively.
