CJ inaugurates Fast Track/Automated courts

Ho, July 14, GNA- The performance of the Fast Track High Courts have been of tremendous success in terms of speedy dispensation of justice and revenue generation.

The Chief Justice, Mr Justice George Kingsley Acquah, said this at the joint commissioning of the Accra Fast Track High Courts (FTHCs) and the 10 regional automated High Courts in Ho on Monday.

The Chief Justice said those courts generated four billion cedis during their 18 months of operation and received 332 cases out of which 138 reached hearing stages and 128 disposed of.

The Chief Justice said 98 percent of the cases disposed were completed within 12 months "thereby fulfilling the target set for us."

"The remaining two percent, which went beyond the six months dateline were due to special reasons, mostly unforeseen complexities in the case as well as appeals," the Chief Justice said.

"This... is no mean achievement because in the regular courts such cases would have dragged on for years on end", he said.

Mr Justice Acquah said the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are funding reforms and automation of six and five Magistrate Courts in the Northern Regions and some Southern parts of the country respectively.

He said the German Technical Co-operation Agency (GTZ) has also expressed its interest to assist while the Japanese government provided funds for the training of judges and staff who are to man the automation equipment.

''The fact of sustainability of the reforms and modernisation of the Judicial Service is not lost on me since I shall continue to chair the Reform and Automation committee."

Mr Justice Acquah said positive attitude to work by all key players in the justice delivery system was vital for the success of the reforms and modernisation of the Service.

The Chief Justice announced that he had instructed that overtime be paid promptly to all staff who would work outside the normal working hours on the new systems. This attracted loud applause from the judicial staff at the function.

Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, said a draft bill would be introduced in Parliament before the end of the year to permit the Judicial Service to retain 15 percent of revenue it would generate to finance its reform processes and other activities relevant to efficient performance.

He said the percentage retention could be increased in future if there was evidence of judicious use of the 15 percent.