The Chief Justice (CJ), Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo, has inaugurated a new court at Apremdo in the Effia Kwesimintsim Municipality of the Western Region.
The inauguration formed part of government’s plans to establish 100 new courthouses throughout the country to bring justice closer to Ghanaians.
Chief Justice Torkornoo noted that laws and courts were tools and assets for ensuring order, direction and justice satisfaction to spur prosperity and development.
She, therefore, encouraged staff of the judicial service to discharge their duties in accordance with ethical codes and conduct.
The Chief Justice urged judicial service workers to make the courts comfortable, accessible, and also give solace to “bruised” users and clients.
She urged court users who were concerned about the delay in the disposal of their casesto petition her (Chief Justice) for immediate redress.
“The courthouse is comparable to hospitals, people come here because they are in dire need of care, be it emotional, psychological and social. Ours is to sooth their pains and not to even bruise their wounds harder with unwanted behaviours.
“We are not a law onto ourselves and we are not here to traumatise citizens. We must be held accountable while showing interest in your cases,” Justice Torkornoo said.
On the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 10 and 16, the Chief Justice explained thatthe law was expected to provide direction, equality, peace and access to justice to peopleno matter their social or financial status.
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, said the court was the last hope of any common man desiring justice.
He said: “it is also a critical tool to entrenching democracy, law and order and development.”
The Divisional Chief of Apremdo, Nana Egya Kwamena XI, noted the inauguration of the court would decentralise and enhance the administration of justice in the municipality.
Additionally, he said it was a major step towards bringing the administration of justice closer to the people of the area.
He appealed to the Chief Justice to ease processes for complaints against unprofessional acts of some judicial staff.
FROM CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, APREMDO
