Constitutional Lawyer, Yaw Anokye Frimpong has urged the new Chief Justice, Justice Gertrude Araba Essaba Sackey Torkornoo, to extend courts to places that need it in the country.
He observed that there are many places in Ghana that have no courts, adding that in some situations, there are courts but are substandard.
His call follows the swearing in of the new Chief Justice.
Justice Gertrude Araba Essaba Sackey Torkornoo was sworn in as the new Chief Justice of Ghana on June 12, 2023 by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
She was nominated by the President in April 2023 and was approved by Parliament on June 7, 2023, after an extensive vetting process.
Her nomination and subsequent approval followed the retirement of the immediate past Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah.
Justice Torkornoo becomes the 15th Chief Justice of Ghana’s Supreme Court and the third woman to occupy that position after Justice Georgina Theodora Wood and Justice Sophia Akuffo.
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Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie with Ama Gyenfa Ofosu Darkwa, Lawyer, Yaw Anokye Frimpong cited parts of the Western Region, noting that due to the mining jobs, the Region is highly populated.
Aside from that, he also noticed that because of oil and gas, Cocoa and the mining of Gold, there are mostly conflicts that need to be settled in court.
However, he said apart from Sekondi-Takoradi and Tarkwa, there is no High Court.
He alerted that a town like Azim does not have even a circuit court, adding that Asankragua and Half Assini have just Magistrate courts.
Lawyer Yaw Anokye Frimpong said even at the regional level, at Sefwi Wiawso, there is only one High Court, adding that even Techiman cannot boast of a High Court.
“The First thing is that our New Chief Justice should make it her project, wherever a court needs to be there, it should get there immediately. The court is like a police station, if there is none close to you, it makes you carry the law into your own hands,” he said.
Lawyer, Yaw Anokye Frimpong also urged the Chief Justice to open her doors to all lawyers and at some point organise press briefings with the media and lawyers to discuss or deliberate on issues.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
