President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that the government, through the District Assemblies Common Fund, is building 98 courts as well as bungalows for judges in all the 16 regions in Ghana.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, the government has actually made note of the poor numbers of courts in numerous parts of the country, causing residents travel long distances in order to access to the country’s courts.
“For example, there is no court between Adjabeng and Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region, neither is there a Court between Adum in Kumasi and Asante Bekwai or Obuasi in the Ashanti Region. Indeed, it has been barely nine (9) months since I commissioned the three-storey Court Complex at Frafraha, in Adenta, Accra, and I am reliably informed that there are already some three thousand cases pending there,” he stated.
Swearing in 16 Justices of the High Court on Wednesday, 16th September 2020, at a ceremony at flagstaff house, the seat of the nation’s presidency, the President said there would be 8 (8) courts and 8 (8) bungalows in Greater Accra; eight (8) courts and also eight (8) bungalows in Volta; 4 (4) courts as well as eight (4) bungalows in Oti; twelve (12) courts and also ten (10) bungalows in Eastern; and seven (7) courts as well as 8 (7) bungalows in Western.
Additionally, there would be 4 courts and also 4 bungalows in Western North;4 courts as well as 4 bungalows in Central; 5 courts and 5 bungalows in North East; 20 courts as well as 14 bungalows in Ashanti; 8 courts and 8 bungalows in Ahafo; 4 courts and 6 bungalows in Bono; and 5 courts and also 5 bungalows in Bono East.
There would also be 3 courts and 3 bungalows in Northern; 3 courts and 3 bungalows in Savanna, 2 courts as well as 2 bungalows in Upper West; and also 3 courts as well as 3 bungalows in Upper East.
Addressing the 16 Justices, the President advised them that the dispensation of justice needs that application of the laws of the land need to occur, in the solemn words of the judicial oath, without fear or favour, love or ill-will, that is, inevitable to the political, spiritual or ethnic associations of anybody before to you.
“When a citizen falls foul of the law, that citizen, high or low, must be dealt with accordingly, and the law enforcement agencies, including you, our new judges, must ensure this is done. That is the true meaning of the concept of equality before the law,” he stated.
To help them on this course, President Akufo-Addo stated that his government has introduced a variety of policy actions to assist bridge the technology-gap, explaining that they are essential to shore up the nation’s track record as a nation controlled based on the rule of law.
“That is why, last year, I launched the e-justice system, which is designed to leverage technology in the delivery of justice. I encourage all of you to take full advantage of the e-justice system, to expedite the conduct of cases that come before you, and in the management of the court. The transparent and efficient delivery of justice builds confidence in citizens, businesses and the investor commuunity” he included.
The Justices of the High Court sworn in by the President are Her Honour Eva Bannerman-Williams, His Honour Emmanuel Bart-Plange Mixture, His Honour Yaw Owoahene Acheampong, His Honour Samuel Boakye-Yiadom, His Honour Abdul Yusif Asibey, Mrs. Elfreda Amy Dankyi, Mr. Samuel Faraday Johnson, Ms. Sheila Minta, Her Honour Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, Nana Yaw Gyamfi Frimpong, Mr. Ernest Yao Gaewu, Mr. Solomon Oppong-Twumasi, Mr. Charles Bentum, Mr. Joseph Adu-Owusu Agyeman, Mr. William Osei-Kuffour, and Mr. Douglas Seidu.
Source: Ghana Waves