Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo has urged the government to enhance and expand facilities nationwide to improve justice delivery.
Speaking at a ceremony to commission the new office complex to house the Attorney General and other officials of the Justice Ministry on Monday, June 10, the Chief Justice emphasised that while building more courts is essential, that alone cannot improve access to justice.
She stressed the need for the government to allocate resources to various projects, including reforms in legal education, to enhance the overall delivery of justice.
Chief Justice Torkornoo highlighted that these efforts are crucial for creating a more effective and accessible legal system.
Furthermore, she called for deliberate measures to address the diverse needs of legal professionals, ensuring they have the necessary support and infrastructure to perform their duties effectively.
“Access to justice goes beyond providing courts. Access to justice includes facilities for legal education, law reporting, facilities for law reforms, facilities for legal aid services and well-resourced professionals along the justice delivery chain.
“We are still left with providing fitting locations for the several needs of professionals in the justice delivery chain, and I am hoping that sooner than later, we will be having another beautiful edifice close by to house the Council for Law Reporting, Legal Aid Commission, the Legal Service Board and all the agencies that feed into providing justice to this dear nation of ours,” she said.
The Law House project, initiated in 2001, was originally slated for completion in May 2004. However, it faced delays, leading to its termination and subsequent re-awarding on January 10, 2023, with final completion achieved in June 2024.
The project spanned the administrations of four Presidents: John Agyekum Kufuor, John Evans Atta Mills, John Dramani Mahama, and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Initially planned as an eight-story office building, the project was later revised to a ten-story structure with a two-level basement.
The final design includes conference rooms, 130 office spaces, 120 parking lots, an eating area, and various other facilities, significantly enhancing its capacity and functionality.
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