President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said his government has made an unprecedented progress in the construction of court buildings which has brought to an end the perennial challenge of old dilapidated court houses across the country.
According to him, as at January 31, 2024, sixty-seven (67) courthouses had been successfully inaugurated, and are in use at various sites around the country.
Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo made this known on the floor of Parliament in his State of the Nations address to House on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.
“We have made unprecedented progress in the provision of court buildings and residences for judges around the country. In 2020, Government set out to construct one hundred (100) courthouses with residential facilities nationwide.
“As at 31st January 2024, sixty-seven (67) courthouses had been successfully inaugurated, and are in use at various sites around the country.
“Twelve (12) completed projects have been slated for inauguration by the end of this month of February 2024. The remaining twenty-one (21) projects are at various stages of completion, and are expected to be completed and inaugurated before May 2024.
“In addition, one hundred and twenty-one (121) residential units have been constructed for judges throughout the country. Further, twenty (20) fully furnished 4-bedroom units, together with social amenities, have been constructed for Justices of the Court of Appeal in Kumasi,” the President Stated.
Modernise Courts operations
The President also acknowledged steps being taken in digitalizing court systems as the new focus of the Judicial Service after solving poor state of court buildings across the country.
“The Judicial Service has undertaken a digitalisation initiative to modernise legal operations, and foster greater access to justice. A virtual court system was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the continuity of business.
“The virtual court system was rolled out to seventeen (17) courts, and then, subsequently, to nineteen (19) High Courts for the smooth hearing of court cases.
“By the end of December 2023, one hundred and sixty (160) courts had been equipped with devices for the real-time transcription of cases, in addition to fifty-one (51) courts piloting the paperless court system in Accra.
“The integration of real-time transcription devices in one hundred and sixty (160) courts has revolutionised the way in which court proceedings are recorded and 9 documented. The service is rolling out a comprehensive digitalisation of the court system.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Murtala Inusah
