Ghana makes strides in addressing court infrastructural deficit – President Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says the Government is on course to alleviating Ghana's court infrastructural deficit.He said the ambitious court construction project, launched in 2020, with the objective to build 100 new courthouses nationwide, along with residential facilities for judges, had opened access to justice.As of February 2024, some 79 courthouses had been completed and inaugurated, with the remaining 21 projects nearing completion, the President noted while addressing the Ghana Bar Association's annual conference, in Kumasi.'These developments, coupled with the construction of 121 residential units for judges across the country, mark a significant step forward in addressing the long-standing issue of insufficient court infrastructure,' he stated.The President noted that the establishment of a permanent Court of Appeal complex in Kumasi, Ghana's second-largest city, had also improved justice delivery in the northern sector of the country.The facility, supported by modern residence s for justices, ensures the efficient handling of cases from the Upper West, Upper East, Northern, and other regions, reducing delays in the appeals process.President Akufo-Addo said that one of the key achievements of his Administration was the introduction of electronic filing systems across the judiciary.This innovation has replaced outdated paper-based processes with digital platforms, allowing lawyers and litigants to file documents online and receive real-time updates on case proceedings.'This initiative has not only expedited the handling of cases, but it has also enhanced transparency and accountability,' he said.Highlighting key legal reforms passed under his government, such as the Witness Protection Act (2018), the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Act (2020) - which elevated corruption to a felony - and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, the President indicated that those laws had strengthened Ghana's institutional capacity to hold individuals accountable for corrupt practices.In addition to the legal reforms, the President stressed the importance of technology in minimising opportunities for corruption.That notion, he said, was the basis of the Government's decision to introduce digital platforms to manage public procurement processes.The move had reduced human involvement and, consequently, the chances of corrupt dealings, he noted, citing the Auditor-General's 2023 report, which showed a 32 per cent reduction in financial irregularities within the public sector.Source: Ghana News Agency