Assin Foso gets District Court
The Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood on Tuesday called on the staff of the Judicial Service to exhibit a high level of professionalism in the performance of their duties.
The Chief Justice made the call in a speech read on her behalf by Mr Justice Dennis Adjei an Appeals Court Judge at the commissioning of a GHȼ 47,000 District Court for Assin Foso in the Assin North Municipality.
The construction and automation of the court was sponsored by the Government of Demark through the DANIDA “Good Governance and Human Rights Programme”.
Mrs Georgina Wood said the new court should serve as a reminder to the staff of the service to continually strive to attain a high degree of efficiency and enhance the image of the Judicial Service of Ghana through effective and improved service delivery.
She said her vision is to ensure that justice is brought to the doorsteps of the ordinary citizen in Ghana hence the effort being made to provide more courthouses, Judges chambers as well as offices to create a conducive environment for the staff to work.
The Chief Justice noted that some of the existing concerns of the Service include accommodation shortages and inadequate facilities adding that most of its courthouses are in a state of disrepair with others housed in rented premises.
She said in order to cater for the justice needs of the people of Assin Foso and its environs, the Service would consider the establishment of a high court in Assin Foso.
She commended DANIDA, Mr Joseph Blay, the former magistrate of the area, the Assin Foso traditional council and the municipal assembly for their efforts leading to the construction of the new court.
Mr Justice James Benuyena Benson, the Central Region Supervising High Court Judge, in his welcoming address, said good governance without justice is meaningless and that democracy cannot thrive without justice hence the provision of courts and other logistics to ensure the effective administration of justice in the country.
He also commended DANIDA for providing funds for the construction of courts at Assin Foso, Akim Swedru, Winneba, Sogakope, as well as the commercial court in Accra and added that by October, a high court would be established at Winneba.
Mr Justice Benson said apart from DANIDA providing funds for the courthouses it has also given the service computers, recorders and other logistics needed to enhance the delivery of justice in the country.
Mr Alex Antwi-Boasiako, Municipal Chief Executive for the area, thanked the Judicial Service for providing the area with a court.
He said this would help reduce their frequent travel to either Cape Coast or Agona Swedru to seek justice and appealed for the establishment of a high court in the area.
Source: GNA