Chief Justice inaugurates 2 courts in Greater Accra
The Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, has inaugurated two courts in the Greater Accra Region to expand access to justice in the region.
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They are a complex housing a High Court and a Circuit Court at Gbetsile in the Kpone Katamanso Municipality, and a District Court at Gbese in the Accra Metropolis.
All the courts were funded through the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) and are part of a project by the government to build 120 courts and 150 bungalows for the judiciary throughout the country to address the infrastructure deficit of the judiciary and also bring justice delivery to the doorsteps of the people.
The land for the Gbetsile court complex was provided by the Gbetsile Traditional Council, while the Gbese Mantse and Adonten of the Ga State, Nii Ayi-Bonte II, provided the land for the court at Gbese on behalf of the stool.
With the inauguration of the court at Gbese, proceedings at the Adjabeng District Court in Accra Central will now be heard at the new court to pave the way for renovation works.
Gbetsile court
The court complex at Gbetsile, which houses a High Court and a Circuit Court, will handle cases within the Kpone Katamanso Municipality and surrounding communities.
Hitherto, people had to travel long distances to Tema and Ashaiman for judicial services.
Justice Anin Yeboah expressed appreciation to the Kpone Katamanso Municipal Assembly and all stakeholders, including the Gbetsile Traditional Council, for their contributions to addressing the challenges of access to justice in the municipality.
He said the court facility in the area would not only ensure access to justice but also attract businesses to the municipality as investors and businesses would have easy access to courts to help resolve disputes.
Justice Anin Yeboah urged the Judicial Service staff who would be manning the court to exhibit a high sense of professionalism in the delivery of their mandate.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, admonished the traditional authorities and the general public to patronise the courts and desist from settling cases that have to be properly adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction.
He also asked the judicial service to collaborate with the municipal assembly to ensure strict enforcement of sanitation bye-laws to help facilitate the “Operation Clean Your Frontage” campaign by the Greater Accra Coordinating Council.
Gbese court
At Gbese, Justice Anin Yeboah bemoaned the unavailability of land in Accra for the construction of the courts.
He, therefore, commended Nii Ayi-Bonte II, for providing the land for the project
The Judiciary, he said, was committed to building a system of justice that assured litigants of efficiency and timely delivery of justice.
Nii Ayi-Bonte II commended the Chief Justice for spearheading the projects and gave assurance that the Gbese stool would provide land for administrative structures such as police stations, courts and hospitals.
For her part, the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Elizabeth K Sackey, said violence should not be an option in seeking redress to disputes or disagreements.