Former President John Mahama has expressed misgivings that the justice system is facing deficiencies and needed reforms to enhance the effective and efficient dispensation of justice to make legal services accessible to the citizenry.
“We need
to focus on the need to carry out reforms that will enhance the effective and
efficient dispensation of justice to make legal services accessible to the
citizenry, unfortunately it is not the case,” he lamented.
Former President Mahama together with some
National Democratic Congress (NDC) national executives held a consultative
meeting with the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) ahead of developing the party’s
manifesto and campaign strategy for the 2020 elections and led discussions on a
number of subject areas, including corruption and a number of issues the
justice system is faced with.
According to the former president, “I think it
is important justice is available to the generality of our population, unfortunately,
it is not the case, depending on where you are geographically you can have
access or be denied, both in terms of the availability of points of contacts
with the justice system or in terms of representation.
“Notwithstanding,
the NDC’s determination, dedication and commitment towards a sustained growth
and development of all sectors of the economy hence the plan to gather
solutions that are in tune with the citizenry’s aspirations from various
groupings in the country.
“There is also the need to strengthen local
justice systems in the communities and districts by establishing
“close-to-home”, “low-cost village” courts because in many of our districts and
communities, we don’t have court houses, people have to travel long distances
to be able to respond to the system of justice, I have been a Member of Parliament
before and I know what it takes,” former President Mahama averred. -ghanaweb.com
