The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has said that sixty (60) district courts, sixty (60) bungalows for judges, and three (3) new high courts for three (3) of the six (6) newly created regions will be commissioned before the start of the legal year in October.
“Sixty percent (60%) of these courts and bungalows have been completed and will be commissioned before the start of the legal year in October. The remaining forty percent (40%) will be duly completed and commissioned by the end of the first quarter of 2023,” President Akufo-Addo said.
Speaking at the swearing-in of ten (10) new High Court Judges, yesterday, July 18, 2022, at Jubilee House, the President stated that the government has taken note of the inadequate numbers of courts in various parts of the country, resulting in citizens travelling long distances to gain access to courts, and has decided to remedy this situation.
President Akufo-Addo disclosed that through the Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund, the government is constructing one hundred (100) new courts and bungalows for Judges in all sixteen (16) Regions of the country.
They are distributed as follows: twenty (20) courts and twenty (20) bungalows in Ashanti; twelve (12) courts and twelve (12) bungalows in Eastern; eight (8) courts and eight (8) bungalows in Greater Accra; eight (8) courts and eight (8) bungalows in Volta; eight (8) courts and eight (8) bungalows in Ahafo; seven (7) courts and seven (7) bungalows in Western; and five (5) courts and five (5) bungalows in Bono East.
The rest are: five (5) courts and five (5) bungalows in North East; four (4) courts and four (4) bungalows in Oti; four (4) courts and four (4) bungalows in Western North; four (4) courts and four (4) bungalows in Central; four (4) courts and four (4) bungalows in Bono; three (3) courts and three (3) bungalows in Northern; three (3) courts and three (3) bungalows in Savannah; three (3) courts and three (3) bungalows in Upper East; and two (2) courts and two (2) bungalows in Upper West.
In April of last year, the President broke ground on a new, modern Court of Appeal complex in Kumasi, as well as twenty (20) townhouses and a guesthouse to serve as permanent residences for Court of Appeal Judges based in Kumasi, who will be mandated to handle appeals from the northern part of the country.
“They will be completed and commissioned in September. Two hundred and ten (210) vehicles were, earlier this year, distributed to all judges in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Courts, and Lower Courts,” the president stated.
Nana Akufo-Addo reaffirmed that the government is undertaking all initiatives to strengthen the capacity of the judiciary.
