Government builds 98 new courts and bungalows for judges

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has disclosed that Government, through the Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund, is constructing 98 courts and bungalows for judges in all 16 regions of the country.

Swearing into office 16 new Justices of the High Court at the Jubilee House yesterday, the President indicated that Government has also taken note of the inadequate number of courts in various parts of the country, resulting in citizens traversing long distances in order to gain access to the country’s courts.

The President mentioned that Greater Accra will have eight courts and eight bungalows; Volta, eight courts and eight bungalows; Oti, four courts and four bungalows; Eastern, 12 courts and 10 bungalows; while Western Region will have seven courts and seven bungalows.

Additionally, there will be four courts and four bungalows in Western North; four courts and four bungalows in Central; five courts and five bungalows in North East; 20 courts and 14 bungalows in Ashanti; eight courts and eight bungalows in Ahafo; four courts and six bungalows in Bono; and five courts and five bungalows in Bono East.

The rest are three courts and three bungalows in Northern; three courts and three bungalows in Savannah; two courts and two bungalows in Upper West; and three courts and three bungalows in Upper East.

President Akufo-Addo said it is regrettable that one cannot find even one 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.”

He added that nine months after commissioning a three-storey Court Complex at Frafraha, in Adenta, Accra, he is reliably informed that there are already some three thousand cases pending before the court.

Apply law without fear

To the 16 Justices, the President reminded them that the dispensation of justice requires that application of the laws of the land must occur, in the hallowed words of the judicial oath, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will, that is, without recourse to the political, religious or ethnic affiliations of any person before 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 said.

To assist them on this path, President Akufo-Addo said, his government, since his assumption of office, has introduced a number of policy measures to help bridge the technology gap, explaining that they are necessary to shore up the nation’s reputation as a country governed in accordance with 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 community,” he added.

New Justices

The Justices of the High Court sworn in by the President are Justices Eva Bannerman-Williams, Emmanuel Bart-Plange Brew, Yaw Owoahene Acheampong, Samuel Boakye-Yiadom, Abdul Yusif Asibey, Elfreda Amy Dankyi, Samuel Faraday Johnson, Sheila Minta, Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, Nana Yaw Gyamfi Frimpong, Ernest Yao Gaewu, Solomon Oppong-Twumasi, Charles Bentum, Joseph Adu-Owusu Agyeman, William Osei-Kuffour and Douglas Seidu.