Georgina Theodora Wood
Encyclopedia
Georgina Theodora Wood is a judge and also a former police prosecution officer. She is the Chief Justice of Ghana
and the first woman to occupy that position.
. She had her basic education at Bishop’s Girls and Methodist Schools, Dodowa. She next attended Mmofraturo Girls School, Kumasi
between 1958 and 1960. Georgina Wood's secondary education
was at Wesley Girls High School, Cape Coast
, which she completed in 1966. She proceeded to the University of Ghana
, Legon
, where she was awarded the LL.B. in 1970. Georgina Wood then attended the Ghana Law School after which she was called to the bar. She has also done the Post-Graduate Officers Training Course at the Ghana Police College.
as a deputy superintendent and public prosecutor for three years. She later joined the Judicial Service
as a District Magistrate in 1974. She rose through the Circuit
and High Court
s to become the presiding judge of the Appeal Court in 1991. She was appointed to the Supreme Court by President John Kufuor
on 12 November 2002, an appointment she had earlier declined. She was nominated for the position of Chief Justice of Ghana in May 2007. On 1 June 2007,the Parliament of Ghana
approved her nomination as the new Chief Justice of Ghana by consensus. As at June 2007, this made her the first woman in the history of Ghana to head the Judiciary and also made her the highest ranked female in Ghana's political history; that rank now assumed by Speaker of Parliament Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addoe, third in line to Ghana's presidency. Chief Justice Wood assumed office on 15 June 2007.
n drug baron, and also the 588 kg of cocaine seized at Mempeasem, East Legon from the Venezuelans.
Church, Accra
. She is also the Chairperson of the Alternative Dispute Resolution
in Ghana.
Chief Justice of Ghana
The Chief Justice of Ghana is the highest judge of the Supreme Court of Ghana. The Chief Justice is also the head of the Judiciary of Ghana and is responsible for its administration and supervision...
and the first woman to occupy that position.
Early life and education
Georgina Wood (née Lutterodt) was born on June 8, 1947 in GhanaGhana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. She had her basic education at Bishop’s Girls and Methodist Schools, Dodowa. She next attended Mmofraturo Girls School, Kumasi
Kumasi
Kumasi is a city in southern central Ghana's Ashanti region. It is located near Lake Bosomtwe, in the Rain Forest Region about northwest of Accra. Kumasi is approximately north of the Equator and north of the Gulf of Guinea...
between 1958 and 1960. Georgina Wood's secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
was at Wesley Girls High School, Cape Coast
Cape Coast
Cape Coast, or Cabo Corso, is the capital of the Central Region of Ghana and is also the capital city of the Fante people, or Mfantsefo. It is situated 165 km west of Accra on the Gulf of Guinea. It has a population of 82,291 . From the 16th century the city has changed hands between the...
, which she completed in 1966. She proceeded to the University of Ghana
University of Ghana
The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian universities and tertiary institutions. It is one of the best universities in Africa and by far the most prestigious in West Africa...
, Legon
Legon
Legon, a suburb of the Ghanaian capital city Accra, is situated about twelve kilometres north-east of the city center. Legon is home to the main campus of the University of Ghana. The word "Legon" is derived from the indigenous Ga language of the people of Greater Accra; NI-LEY GON therefore "Hill...
, where she was awarded the LL.B. in 1970. Georgina Wood then attended the Ghana Law School after which she was called to the bar. She has also done the Post-Graduate Officers Training Course at the Ghana Police College.
Career
Georgina Wood worked with the Ghana Police ServiceGhana Police Service
The Ghana Police Service is the main law enforcement agency of Ghana. The service is under the control of the Ghanaian Ministry of the Interior.-Functions:The service was established to perform the following functions:#the detection of crime;...
as a deputy superintendent and public prosecutor for three years. She later joined the Judicial Service
Judiciary of Ghana
The Judiciary of Ghana comprises the Superior Courts of Judicature, established under the 1992 Constitution, and the Inferior Courts, established by Parliament. The hierarchy of courts derives largely from British juridical forms...
as a District Magistrate in 1974. She rose through the Circuit
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
and High Court
Judiciary of Ghana
The Judiciary of Ghana comprises the Superior Courts of Judicature, established under the 1992 Constitution, and the Inferior Courts, established by Parliament. The hierarchy of courts derives largely from British juridical forms...
s to become the presiding judge of the Appeal Court in 1991. She was appointed to the Supreme Court by President John Kufuor
John Kufuor
John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor was the second president of the 4th Republic of Ghana and Chairperson of the African Union...
on 12 November 2002, an appointment she had earlier declined. She was nominated for the position of Chief Justice of Ghana in May 2007. On 1 June 2007,the Parliament of Ghana
Parliament of Ghana
The Parliament of Ghana is the legislative body of the Ghanaian government.-History:Legislative representation in Ghana dates back to 1850, when the country was a British colony. The body, called the Legislative Council, was purely advisory as the Governor exercised all legislative and executive...
approved her nomination as the new Chief Justice of Ghana by consensus. As at June 2007, this made her the first woman in the history of Ghana to head the Judiciary and also made her the highest ranked female in Ghana's political history; that rank now assumed by Speaker of Parliament Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addoe, third in line to Ghana's presidency. Chief Justice Wood assumed office on 15 June 2007.
Georgina Wood committee
The Georgina Wood committee was set up on July 4, 2006 to investigate the disappearance from a shipping vessel MV Benjamin of 77 packets of cocaine on April 26, 2006. It was also to investigate an alleged 200,000 dollars bribe paid to senior police officers by a lady linked to a VenezuelaVenezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n drug baron, and also the 588 kg of cocaine seized at Mempeasem, East Legon from the Venezuelans.
Honours
On July 7, 2007, Georgina Wood was decorated with the Order of the Star of Ghana, the nation's highest honour for distinguished services to the nation. She was presented by President John Kufuor.Other roles
Georgina Wood is a choir leader at the Ringway Gospel Centre Assemblies of GodAssemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
Church, Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
. She is also the Chairperson of the Alternative Dispute Resolution
Alternative dispute resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that act as a means for disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short of litigation. ADR basically is an alternative to a formal court hearing or litigation...
in Ghana.
