Tuesday, 22 October

Access to justice goes beyond providing courts – Torkornoo

General News
She highlighted the necessity of deliberate measures to meet the diverse needs of legal professionals

Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo has called on the government to significantly enhance facilities across Ghana to improve the delivery of justice. 

Speaking at the inauguration of The Law House in Accra on Monday, Chief Justice Torkornoo underscored the urgent need for expanded infrastructure and resources to address the complex demands of the nation’s justice system.

“Access to justice goes beyond providing courts,” Chief Justice Torkornoo emphasised. “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.”

She highlighted the necessity of deliberate measures to meet the diverse needs of legal professionals and the broader justice network. 

“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 added.

The Law House project, initiated in 2001, faced significant delays before being re-awarded on January 10, 2023, and completed in June 2024.

The project, which spanned the administrations of four presidents—John Agyekum Kufuor, John Evans Atta Mills, John Dramani Mahama, and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo—was originally planned as an 8-story office building but was revised to a 10-story structure with a two-level basement.

The newly completed Law House now features conference rooms, 130 office spaces, 120 parking lots, an eating area, and various other facilities designed to support the country’s legal framework.

Source: classfmonline.com/Elikem Adiku