Judiciary committed to making justice accessible to all – Chief Justice
Outgoing Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, says the Judiciary has a burning desire to make the fundamental right of quality justice accessible to all Ghanaians.
This, he said, was evident in the number of courts commissioned in the Oti region to serve the common needs of the people.
He said it was the belief that the existence of the courts would contribute to a peaceful and stable environment critical to national growth and development.
Justice Anin-Yeboah, in a short ceremony to commission a District Court at Fahiakobor-Bowiri in the Biakoye District of the Oti region, said the presence of the court would also reduce the time, energy and efforts the people were making to travel to Kpando and Hohoe to access justice.
He said the increase in courts nationwide was to provide quality justice for the public and thereby enhance public trust and confidence in the administration of justice.
Justice Anin-Yeboah said it behoved on them as service providers to take extremely good care of the facility while the judges and judicial staff treat all who access the court with respect and dignity as well as attend to their needs in a timely and courteous manner.
He admonished court users and the public to know that they owed themselves and the nation a corresponding duty to help the judicial service build a credible and trustworthy system which implied that they must not engage in negative activities.
The outgoing Chief Justice urged chiefs in the area to use their office to resolve most if not all contentious or complex disputes that were filed in the court and capable of settlement.
The edifice was built through the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development with the District Assemblies Common Fund and has offices for the registrar, ADR, dockets and cashier, chambers, solar power, mechanized borehole, washrooms for staff and public, and has a bungalow for the judge.
Dr Joshua Makubu, Oti regional Minister, noted that the commissioning of the Biakoye District Court was historic as it brought the total number of courts in the region to five which was highly commendable.
He noted that the presence of the courts in the region and districts would save time, effort and energy of the people in accessing justice while urging the people of the district to endeavour to make good use of the courts in seeking justice.
Dr Makubu noted that there would be no development if there were projects without peace and urged the traditional authorities to ensure that issues were amicably resolved to ensure peace.
Madam Millicent Kabuki Carboo, Biakoye District Chief Executive (DCE), noted that the presence of the court in the district would enhance the delivery of justice to ensure a peaceful environment adding that the edifice was timely in the delivery of justice in the district.
She noted that the court would also enable the Assembly to enforce its by-laws as well as for the payment of taxes while expressing gratitude to the President and government for selecting the district as a beneficiary.
Okoforbour Baffour Kwame Asante II, Tapahene and Vice President, Oti Regional House of Chiefs, expressed gratitude to the President and the Chief Justice for the edifice and promise an effective maintenance culture to ensure the longevity of the edifice.