President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his commitment to digitizing Ghana’s courts to eliminate delays in the justice system, stressing that justice must neither be delayed nor denied.
Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of 21 new Appeal Court judges, President Mahama emphasized the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2024 Manifesto’s focus on urgent reforms aimed at making the justice system more efficient and accessible to all Ghanaians.
President Mahama stated “The NDC 2024 Manifesto commits us to reforms that will make justice more efficient and accessible to our people.”
He outlined key components of the reform agenda, beginning with the digitization of the courts.
This initiative according to him is designed to reduce frequent adjournments and prolonged delays that currently frustrate ordinary citizens seeking legal redress.
In addition, the President highlighted plans to establish specialized divisions within the High Court and Court of Appeal.
“Creating specialized divisions at the High Court and Court of Appeal to handle land disputes, commercial cases, and labor matters which too often drag on for many years,”he noted.
President Mahama also committed to introducing time-bound case management systems intended to ensure that delays no longer result in justice being denied.
He stressed the expansion of legal aid services to guarantee that justice is accessible not only to the privileged or wealthy but to every citizen.
Again, he pledged to strengthen judicial ethics and accountability to eliminate misconduct and corruption within the judiciary.
“These are not abstract promises, they are concrete steps that will make justice not only more credible but also more hopeful,” he said.
The President underscored the essential role of justice in national development, describing it as “the invisible infrastructure” supporting the economy, communities, and democratic governance.
He pointed out that investors are reluctant to invest where contracts can be overturned by bias, entrepreneurs struggle under unresolved land disputes, and communities face insecurity due to uncertain legal verdicts.
President Mahama remarked “Investors will not risk their capital where contracts can be overturned by bias and prejudice. Entrepreneurs will not thrive where land disputes trap them in endless litigation. Communities cannot live in peace where verdicts are held in doubt.
“This is why the renewal of our courts remains central to our broader economic transformation,” he added
Source: www.Kumasimail/Kwadwo Owusu
