The UN Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão, has underscored the Ghanaian judiciary’s crucial role in safeguarding democracy but advised it to improve its communication with the public.
In his interview , he praised the judiciary’s professionalism but expressed concern that limited communication has, at times, allowed room for public misinterpretation.
Mr Simão noted that the judiciary is often perceived as the “last line of defence” for democracy, especially in Ghana, where it has decided electoral disputes in past elections.
However, he stressed, “High professionalism alone isn’t enough; the quality of communication must also match the stakes involved.”
According to Simão, the judiciary has recently committed to publishing adjudication models, a step he believes will aid transparency.
“Improving the clarity and accessibility of information for different levels of society is crucial,” he told host Evans Mensah on Tuesday.
He added that misinterpretations are often born from a lack of accessible explanations.
“Different stakeholders need different levels of information—from technical details for professionals to more general explanations for the public.”
Simão sees these communication improvements as essential to fostering public trust in Ghana’s legal institutions, especially during the electoral period.
“Greater transparency can only strengthen the judiciary’s role in maintaining peace and credibility in the electoral process,” he concluded.
