The pilot Online Court System, “Virtual Courts” has been completed and the Judicial Service is acquiring equipment and software applications for a full roll-out to 138 selected district, circuit, and high courts.
The online technology systems initiative of court sittings will promote COVID-19 social distancing protocols. Additionally, the Courts Computerization and Automation Programme with current coverage of 51 percent will be continued.
This was contained in the 2022 Budget statement presented to Parliament by Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori Atta.
In achieving the objective of improving access to justice, the Judiciary dispensed with 13 Constitutional Review Cases and In the 2020/21 legal year, 72,568 new cases were filed and a total of 63,293 cases, including backlog cases, were disposed of.
In 2022, it is projected that a total of 122,803 new cases will be filed and 99,207 will be tried.
The budget statement stated that under the Judicial Infrastructure Development Agenda, the Judicial Service, in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development and DACF, started the building of 98 courthouses and 121 residential facilities.
This is aimed at revamping Judicial Service infrastructure in the country. Preparatory works towards the construction of the new Judicial Training Institute will continue and the Wa High Court Complex Building completed in 2022.
In a related development, the Under the Judicial Service’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Programme in which cases are settled outside the traditional court systems, 4,189 cases were referred for mediation.
A total of 1,763 out of 3,500 cases were successfully mediated. In 2022, about 3,600 will be arbitrated out of 5,500 cases expected to be received. A total of 131 courts were connected to the ADR system and additional 151 courts will be connected in 2022.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.con/Kofi Atakora
