Official Web Site for the Judicial Service of the Republic of Ghana

REPORT OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE’S OUTREACH PROGRAMME TO NORTHERN GHANA & THE 6TH CHIEF JUSTICE’S FORUM IN KUMASI, 29TH NOVEMBER – 6TH DECEMBER, 2007

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Her Ladyship the Chief Justice, Mrs. Georgina Theodora Wood, undertook an 8-day familiarization tour of some courts in the northern sector of the country as part of the outreach programme of the sitting Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana.
The tour took her to the Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions.
On her way, she made a stop-over in Anyinam and Kwabeng in the Atiwa District of the Eastern Region.
She was accompanied on the tour at different points by:

• Mr. Justice S.A. Brobbey, Supreme Court Judge;
• Mr. Justice R.T. Aninakwa, Supreme Court Judge;
• Mr. Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, Apeal Court Judge;
• Mr. Justice Anin Yeboah, Appeal Court Judge;
• Mrs. Regina Apotsi, Judicial Secretary;
• Mr. Abdullah Iddrisu, Deputy Judicial Secretary;
• Mr. D.A. Kwapong, Director of Communications; and
• Mrs. Sandra Cofie, Director of Judicial Reform, Project Development & Implementation Unit

The theme of her tour was Access to Justice: Strengthening Judicial Integrity and Capacity through Judicial Education.

The various subjects she dwelt on were as follows:

1. Oversight Responsibilities of Appeal Court Judges

In her meetings with Regional Ministers and staff of the regional courts, she introduced her initiative of team work by her appointment of 10 Appeal Court Judges to have oversight responsibility over the regions and being the liaison persons between the regions and head office. She explained at length that they had been appointed not to take over the duties of the Supervising High Court Judges but to strengthen the administration of justice in the region. They would not act as spies nor undermine anybody’s work, they would rather forge close links with the regional courts. She further explained that they would visit the region once or twice a term to deal with nagging problems which would need urgent solutions. They are also to help establish land banks so that the Judicial Service can put up structures for the courts and accommodation for judges and magistrates. read more..